Hunger keeps rearing its head

Chuck Whitman holds a report outlining hunger issues.

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Story Published: Feb 5, 2010 at 9:08 AM PDT

Story Updated: Feb 5, 2010 at 9:08 AM PDT

By Stephanie Smith

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LEWISTON – “No one in Idaho should go hungry.” That is the motto of The Idaho Food Bank. But Director Chuck Whitman said hunger is a growing problem with more people using food banks and shelters.

"In 2007 that were about 89,000 people and in 2009 it was 142,000 (in Idaho)," said Whitman. "So you can see an increased number of people who rely on the food banking network."

The data was released Thursday as part of a nationwide study conducted by the organization Feeding America.

"There are issues on education, food stamps, it's a whole plethora of information based on 500 surveys that the Idaho Food Bank did within our state here," said Whitman. "This gives us a good database for not only grant writing but to educate our communities, our government and everything. It's just a fantastic report."

Whitman said he's seen over a 30 percent increase in food demand in the last year alone. But stats aside, there is one message he wants to get across.

"We can put out all the books in the world and I can sit here everyday and talk to you, but the thing is hunger is something that we have to attack in our own communities in our own neighborhoods," said Whitman.

So when's it going to get better?

"We've probably got at least another year," said Whitman. "Remember once the economy turns around and the housing market picks up, there is a lot of lumber on the ground, it's going to take a while for the inventory to get out, so we are really going to see a lot of stuff in the lumber and logging industries come around. So it's going to be a long long winter and a long spring."

If you would like more information on the Hunger in America study as well as local information, email Chuck Whitman at - CWhitman@IdahoFoodBank.org.

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