HUNGER RESEARCH
As one of the more than 200 partner food banks in the national network led by Feeding America, Roadrunner® Food Bank has access to the most up-to-date hunger research available. Feeding America is the leading hunger research organization in the U.S., and provides information on hunger at every level of American life. The organization is also the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief organization, and works with food banks throughout the U.S. to provide support in financial and operational issues.
HUNGER IN NEW MEXICO
Feeding America’s and Roadrunner Food Bank’s Hunger in America 2014 report compiles statistics about hunger and food insecurity in New Mexico. The statistics show the many challenges and coping strategies that households facing hunger experience. From choosing medical care/medicine over food, to housing and other necessities over food, the report provide an insight into our the lives of people struggling with hunger. These statistics remind us that Roadrunner Food Bank’s mission and network of partner agencies play an increasingly important role in feeding our neighbors.
To learn more about Hunger in New Mexico, click here. To learn more about Feeding America, click here.
MAP THE MEAL GAP
Every year, Feeding America publishes the Map the Meal Gap report, an interactive research report and map detailing food insecurity in the U.S. by state, county and congressional district. Map the Meal Gap includes information on overall hunger, and child hunger. The report allows us to compare New Mexico’s hunger to the rest of America, or even from county to county. This report is the only one of its kind looking at hunger from the local, state and national level.
To learn more about Map the Meal Gap, click here.
STATE OF SENIOR HUNGER
Hunger research shows that older Americans and New Mexicans are at risk of hunger. The most recent State of Senior Hunger shows that New Mexico ranks tenth for senior hunger at 8.4 percent compared to the national average of 6.8 percent. Hunger affects seniors health and nutrition. Poor health can be both a cause and a consequence of hunger as seniors are more likely to have chronic health conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure and depression. With fixed limited incomes, limited mobility in some cases, access to transportation, and changes in health; seniors may also experiences additional stresses that complicate their ability to obtain all the food they need in their household. To learn more, click here.
HEALTH AND HUNGER
The health and hunger connection impacts health care costs too. Research shows that in New Mexico alone, healthcare costs attributed to food insecurity exceed $1,450 per food secure adult every year. Those are significant dollars that low-income families don’t have available to spend and can often lead to higher food insecurity forcing families to make even more tough choices…not paying rent/mortgage, forgoing buying needed medication, etc. To learn more about health and hunger, click here.
Roadrunner Food Bank Serving New Mexico
Donations of funds, food, and time allow us to acquire and distribute healthy food to provide to hungry people across the state. A $1 gift helps us distribute 5 meals.
Your gifts of funds, food, and talent allow us to distribute more than 34 million pounds of food every year from our warehouse to communities across the state.
Our statewide hunger-relief network provides food through 500 member partners in New Mexico. They consist of food pantries, soup kitchen, schools, senior centers, and so many other affiliated organizations which seek to improve the lives of low-income and vulnerable people.
Every week we provide enough food to tens of thousands of New Mexicans in need. Children, seniors, the disabled, families, and adults all represent people struggling with enough to eat.