Services for Pennsylvania's Hungry Can Be Hard To Come By

Tom Joseph

PHILADELPHIA - At some point in a given year, more than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians have trouble putting enough food on the table, according to a new report examining hunger in the state. Too many are going without available services that could help them, the Coalition Against Hunger survey found.

Coalition interim executive director Julie Zaebst said among the findings is that one in five residents who qualify for programs like food stamps (now known as SNAP), as well as for school meals and food distribution programs, are not taking part. And it's not because they are not trying, she said.

"The red tape and some of the challenges that have emerged as more folks have needed help and fewer staff have been there to help them," she explained, "definitely prevent eligible people from getting connected to important benefits like SNAP."

The study also reveals major gaps in programs designed to provide nourishment for students, she added.

"Less than half of low-income kids who get lunch at school also eat school breakfast," she said. "The same is true with the summer meals program, which is meant to fill the gap for these low-income kids when school is out."

Four out of five eligible children in Pennsylvania miss out on summer meals, Zaebst said.

Ken Regal, executive director of Just Harvest, Pittsburgh, said his group works to end hunger, in part by making sure people know about available services. Lawmakers need to realize the huge upside to be gained when people are not going hungry, he added, as well as the true costs of hunger when it does exist.

"When we tolerate hunger and deep poverty in a community, in a country as wealthy as ours," he said, "we all suffer, because it diminishes us as human beings. We should not let it happen."

Zaebst said the report's release comes at a time when cuts to programs like SNAP are being considered in Congress as part of the Farm Bill, not to mention in state budget discussions that could also ultimately affect Pennsylvanians' abilities to keep their families fed.

The full report, "State of Hunger: Pennsylvania 2013," is available at www.hungerreportpa.com.