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Population of Northern
Illinois Food Bank's service area
Information from the US Census
Bureau - Small Area Income & Poverty
Estimates - released 2008
Population - 3,960,242
Poverty - 299,523
As of May 2010, the unemployment
rate for IL stood at 10.8%
Family Income
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2010 Poverty income for a family of four is $22,050 per year or below.
12.2% of Illinois population is at
or below poverty.
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Living Wage Calculator
statistical report defines a livable wage as $44,851 for family of four in
Illinois. (Info available at
http://www.livingwage.geog.psu.edu/)
Hunger in America 2010 Study
The statistical profile of
local neighbors who visit Food Pantries, Soup Kitchens and Shelters in the area
served by Northern Illinois Food Bank and its Agencies show these key
characteristics:
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NIFB provides food for an estimated 502,400 different people annually.
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43% of households include at least one employed adult.
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52% are non-Hispanic White, 27% are non-Hispanic black, 15% are Hispanic, and
the rest are from other racial or ethnic groups.
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48% of the members of households served by NIFB are children under 18 years of
age.
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8% of the members of households are children age 0 to 5 years.
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53% and 35% respectively of households with school-age children participate in
federal school lunch and school breakfast programs
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1% of households with school-age children participate in the summer food service
program
One in Eleven people in Illinois is Food Insecure
U.S. Department of
Agriculture defines food insecure people as those who do not have regular access
to enough safe, nutritious food for an active and healthy life. These households
have reduced quality and variety of meals, and may have irregular food intake.
Some causes behind Hunger in
the suburbs
The causes behind the growth
in need for Food Assistance are numerous, but these factors are major
contributors:
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Population
Population 2000 3,420,293
Population 2007 3,942,253
Population Change 15.3%
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Poverty
Poverty (All Ages 2000) 189,246
Poverty (All Ages - 2007) 269,280
o Increase in Poverty of 42%
Children in Poverty (2000) 66,613
Children in Poverty (2007) 95,603
o Increase in Child Poverty of 44%
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Unemployment
Unemployment December 2000 75,823
Unemployment December 2009 235,328
o Increase in number of unemployed 210%
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As of December 2009, the
11.3% aggregate unemployment rate in the 13 counties served by NIFB was still
higher than the national average of 9.7%.
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Increase in number of
single parent households where income is not sufficient to support children
properly.
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Elderly population is
increasing due to longevity of life, and in some instances living longer that
their resources.
7/6/10 sns
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