Making Tough Tradeoffs
Hunger is a complex problem. It’s not just that people need more food, it’s the stressful tradeoffs they confront. Decisions between purchasing food and paying for medication, or between food and utilities, housing, or transportation.
But big expenses aren’t the only thing families have to choose between. Every day essentials like toilet paper, diapers, dish soap, feminine products, and laundry detergent are skipped to make do. According to the Feeding America study, “In Short Supply: Every Day Essentials” low-income families employ tradeoff strategies in their every day lives:
- 39% of families reported brushing their teeth without toothpaste.
- 40% of families reported skipping or delaying paying rent.
- 44% of families reported delaying changing a diaper.
- 49% of families reported cutting back on medical expenses.
- 64% of families reported skipping or delaying paying utility bills.
- 74% of families reported skipping washing dishes or doing laundry.
It’s safe to say that the Food Pantry alone can’t overcome all the obstacles the families we serve face making ends meat. While we can provide diapers, soap, and toothpaste when we have it, there are a multitude of other organizations providing resources that would benefit our clientele. That’s why we started a newsletter for families we serve aimed at providing information and connection to resources.
After 3 months, we conducted a survey of newsletter recipients and got some great feedback, both on the current form and ways to improve. Some of the comments received from the survey:
- “Very informative on things I need to know before I get [to the Food Pantry]”
- “[The newsletter] keeps me connected even when I don’t use the Food Pantry.”
- “Happy to have all/any information that can help me and others survive. Thank you.”
In the coming months, we look forward to continuing to improve this newsletter. And we’re always open to suggestions! Please send information you would like to see included in this newsletter to Libby.