Working Poor

When people volunteer for River City Food Bank, we often show them a video program called "Faces of Hunger." The video proves the point that hunger isn't what you think. In many cases, for example, those who come to us in need have jobs, but they are no longer making it. Many are mothers caring for children. They face the terrible choice of keeping a rood over their family's head and the utilities on, or having enough healthy food on the table at the end of the month.

Here are just a few examples of the people who have needed a little help getting by:

• Jasmine Bess, a seven-year DMV employee, found that she ran out of money for food after her third Furlough Friday. Without help, she couldn't provide meals for her nine-year-old daughter.
• Jon, a masonry craftsman, had always been able to provide for his family of five, but he was down to 14 hours a week of work. Of course, he was scrambling for any form of job that could pull in some money, but finding little in the building industry collapse.

Only a small percentage of those who seek food assistance have no income at all, and one out of three has some form of employment related income. Many are working poor families whose incomes haven’t kept up with rising expenses. If something happens, like an unexpected health expense, they may not have enough money left to buy adequate food. We see that all the time.