Getting up five mornings
each week to go to work appears to be the norm for many including Lewis
Jefferson, however, standing in line to receive free food on the sixth day
wasn't supposed to be part of the equation.
Jefferson is part of the
growing number of African Americans living with “food insecurity” -- being
unable to provide enough food on the table.
According to a recent study
by Feeding America, a Chicago-based hunger-relief agency, 37 million Americans
receive emergency food assistance each year and African Americans make up 34
percent of the total. Since the agency's last study four years ago, there has
been an increase of more than one million additional African Americans I need
of emergency food help.
About 3.7 million African
American children were living with food insecurity, an increase of 35 percent
from 2.78 million, according to the “Household Food Insecurity In the United
States, 2008” report released in November.
“It's hard keeping food on
the table for my family. I barely make $12 an hour and I try to get all the
overtime I can to help make ends meet. I don't want to rely on getting free
food, but I'm not too proud to receive help when I need it,” said Jefferson, a
married father of one.
The 47-year-old security
guard said he's thankful for the many churches that give food to those in need.
Vicki Escarra, head of
Feeding America, said the organization saw the writing on the wall two years
ago. Demand at food banks increase about 30 percent, on average, she said.
“While we have reached many
more people over the past four years, the need for hungry Americans far
outpaces our current level of service,” said Escarra.
About 678,000 people
annually -- a 36 percent increase since 2006 -- are served by the Greater
Chicago Food Depository, the county's primary food bank. It supplies nearly 600
food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens.
Fellowship Missionary
Baptist Church on South Princeton Avenue, which serves food every Thursday to
those in need in addition to giving food bags out once a month, has seen the
number of families in need significantly increase in the last two years.
The church receives the bulk
of its food for the needy from GCFD, according to Alveria Jelks, who oversees
the food ministry at Fellowship.
“Our Community Table feeds
about 40 people every Thursday and on the fourth Saturday of every month we
give away food and clothing. We help feed about 300 families through the
program,” said Jelks.
The ministry started under
the helm of the Rev. Clay Evans and has been going strong for more than 20
years. But in the last two to
three years, the number of those in need rose quite a bit, she said.
“We used to serve about 125
families, but in the last few years, we've been hitting close to 300. I'm sure
it's due to the economy,” Jelks added.
The GCFD has asked for $5
million of Gov. Quinn's budget next year to help food aid agencies get more
food, said Kate Maehr, executive director of the food depository.
Copyright 2010 Chicago
Defender
