'Independence from Hunger' - By Guest Blogger George Matysik of Philabundance

By Guest Blogger George Matysik, Director of Government Affairs and Policy and Planning, Philabundance

As employees of Philabundance (the local Feeding America food bank and the largest hunger relief organization that serves Philadelphia and the surrounding eight counties in Delaware Valley), we task ourselves not only with providing short-term hunger relief for today, but also creating opportunities for long-term solutions for tomorrow. Nowhere is this more important than for the most vulnerable populations, children, seniors and those living with disabilities, in our region.

At Philabundance, we pride ourselves on effectively providing our neighbors in need with reliable access to healthy food staples. We see people from many walks of life looking to us for food, and we sometimes depict those who benefit from our services with broad brushstrokes to simplify the picture of need within our region. However, we would like to take this opportunity to paint a more nuanced portrait of what need truly looks like for many of the families we serve.

Because the factors that lead a person to seek food assistance differ widely from person to person, we look at a variety of aspects when trying to understand “need.” Income plays an important role – can a person or a family make ends meet?

However, income is not the only qualifier. We think about resources not just in the monetary sense, such as income, assets, and other financial means, but also in a more abstract sense – what other methods does a person have to access the goods and services that they need in order to survive? Does a family have health insurance? What about access to government benefits? If they have kids, do they have childcare? If they are unemployed, how difficult would it be for them to find work? Can a person draw upon a strong social network? Some or all of these considerations, along with a myriad of others, come into play when a person makes the decision to seek out our services.

Often, people with disabilities within our region utilize our services, because their access to a variety of resources is severely restricted. Consider this hard data from the U.S. Census Bureau:

There is a stark difference between average yearly earnings of those with and without disabilities. While individuals without disabilities averaged earnings of approximately $38,000 per year, those with disabilities earned about $22,000.

While just 5 percent of all individuals across the Greater Philadelphia region received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as food stamps, in 2011, nearly half of all individuals with disabilities received them.[i]

Since nearly one-fifth of households within Philabundance’s service area include one or more individuals with disabilities, the realities of high medical costs, low wages and underemployment present tremendous economic hurdles. Furthermore, as an individual’s age increases, the probability that he or she will have a disability increases substantially; while nearly one out of every 10 individuals in our region has a disability, nearly one out of three seniors has a disability. As the Baby Boomer generation hits retirement age, social service organizations will begin to see increasing numbers of elderly clients with disabilities and chronic medical conditions.

Philabundance and other Feeding America hunger relief organizations throughout the United States are committed to healthy food access to those in need. If you or someone you know is looking for resources geared towards people with disabilities, please visit www.FeedingAmerica.org. For more information on Philabundance, visit www.philabundance.org.

[i] This disparity does not solely reflect categorical SNAP eligibility for individuals with disabilities receiving SSI or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits.

George Matysik is the Director of Government Affairs and Policy and Planning for Philabundance. In this capacity, he works to develop new initiatives, partnerships and policy positions for the organization. George is a lifelong Philadelphian who serves on boards and committees for the Pennsylvania Resources Council, Mercy Vocational High School and the National Commodity Supplemental Food Program Association.

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https://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2013/05/31/independence-from-hunger/