• In New York City, one in three children lives in poverty.
• 400,000 people in New York City suffer from moderate or severe hunger -118,000 of them children.
• 40% of emergency food programs reported an increase in the number of working poor seeking assistance. But lack of food has left emergency food programs unable to meet the increased demand.
• 74,000 people were turned away from NYC emergency food programs in January 1999 alone, up from 59,000 one year earlier -59% children, 11% elderly.
• 41% of NYC food pantries ration amount of food by giving smaller amounts.
• There are over 1,000 soup kitchens & food pantries in NYC and 2,700 in NY State serving 2 million New Yorkers annually. They will serve 60 million meals this year to hungry men, women & children. But everyday they turn away over 2,500 people.