Bucks County Sees Sharp Rise in Need for Safety Net Programs
PHILADELPHIA (November 26th, 2013) – PCCY’s latest report, “The Bottom Line is Children: Economic and Food Security in Bucks County” finds that compared to 2008, the number of children receiving Food Stamps (SNAP) rose dramatically by 43 percent.
Báo cáo cũng chỉ ra:
- Across the county, 18,465 children are eligible for free and reduced meals at school, a 42% increase from 2008
- 19,553 Bucks County children are enrolled in Food Stamps (SNAP). Children make up 38% of Bucks County individuals benefitting from the program
- The share of children in low-income families has grown by 20% since 2008
- Only one-fifth of low-income students who qualified participated in school breakfast program in 2012
Hunger and food insecurity are proven to have lasting effects on a child. The value of increased poor educational outcomes and lost lifetime earnings as a result of hunger and food insecurity was $19.2 billion in 2010, according to the national report- Hunger in America, published by the Center for American Progress and co-authored by PCCY’s executive director.
“Compared to other suburban counties, Bucks saw the greatest rise in the number of children eligible for free and reduced meals at school, but participation in these programs remain stagnant,” said Kathy Fisher, Family Economic Security Director for PCCY. “It is vitally important for county leaders, school districts, and parents do all they can to make sure children are properly fed so they can perform better in the classroom.”
The share of children in low-income families in Bucks County grew since 2008; a clear sign that shows more needs to be done to help parents access safety net programs so that every family can provide for their children, particularly those earning low wages or having difficulty finding steady work.
“Mothers across the County are doing everything they can to help their children grow,” said Nancy Morrill, President of the Bucks County Women’s Advocacy Coalition. “Bucks County Families are facing increasing needs in this time of economic stress, which we hope our federal and state elected officials recognize.”
The number of Bucks County families using Food Stamps (SNAP) increased, but a cut to benefits earlier this month caused a typical family of four to lose about $36 a month in benefits. The reduction equates to about 21 meals lost each month.
“More Bucks County families are struggling to put food on the table for their children,” said Julie Zaebst, Policy Center Manager for the Coalition Against Hunger. “With fewer benefits available, we need our state and county leaders to step up to the plate so Bucks County children do not go hungry.”
PCCY recommends that County officials, service providers, community groups, schools and parents work together to:
- Work with school districts and parents to dramatically increase participation in school breakfast, including pressing schools to enter the PA Department of Education’s School Breakfast Challenge, which rewards districts who achieve the highest gains in school breakfast participation (deadline is Dec. 20th)
- Mobilize county resources to educate local residents so that all eligible families can access federal safety net resources to help care for their children
- Build county-wide understanding and support for these programs so they are strengthened at the federal level.
PCCY’s report, “The Bottom Line is Children: Family Economic Security in Bucks County,” is the latest in a four-part series looking at issues affecting children in each of Philadelphia’s suburban counties. PCCY’s previous reports on education can be viewed at www.childrenfirstpa.org/bottomlinecountyreports
Upcoming reports will focus on child health and early childhood education.
The full report “The Bottom Line is Children: Family Economic Security in Bucks County” can be viewed online at www.childrenfirstpa.org/userfiles/file/BottomLineCountyReports/Bucks/FamilyEco/PCCYBLFamilyEcoBucks2013.pdf