SECOND HARVEST TO RELEASE RESULTS OF SURVEY OF 500 WHO USE EMERGENCY HUNGER RELIEF

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Report Indicates Sustained Unemployment Hurting People Unaccustomed to Needing Help

The Second Harvest Food Bank of Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania will release the results of a survey of 500 people who have sought assistance from the network of food pantries and “soup kitchens” that serve residents of Lehigh and Northampton counties at a press briefing on Thursday, September 29.  The briefing will take place at 2 PM at the warehouse operated by Second Harvest located at 2045 Harvest Way in south west Allentown.

The randomized survey was conducted from January to April, 2011.  It looked at employment status, ability to pay basic living expenses, frequency of use of the assistance network, access to health care, and demographics, among other issues.  The results present a disturbing picture of how the recession is affecting households in the LehighValley.

Second Harvest Food Bank of LehighValley and Northeast Pennsylvania is a program of the Community Action Committee of the LehighValley and a member of Feeding America.  Second Harvest Food Bank annually distributes over 5.5 million pounds of food and grocery products per year to nearly 180 member agencies in Northampton, Lehigh, Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties.

For more information please contact  Elisa Zaehringer at 484-893-1046.

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