Nearly 40% of people accessing emergency food services are working.  Each year, food banks and other emergency food services such as hot meal sites or meal delivery services provide food to one in seven Pierce County residents or more than 100,000 individuals. 

The total number of client visits using food bank services for this indicator is duplicated clients, meaning that this number reflects the total number of visits to area food services, and not individual clients.

• After a steady decline from 805,982 client visits to emergency food services in 2004 to 694,986 in 2007, the number of client visits to food banks or emergency food services rose 22% to 844,551 in 2008.  The number of client visits to food banks or emergency food services in 2009 rose to 1,088,870; representing a 29% increase compared to 2008, and a 57% increase over 2007.
• Similarly, the number of meals provided has shown a dramatic increase over the past years.  In 2009, the total number of meals provided rose to 11,586,135; representing a 29% increase over 2008, and a 58% increase over 2007

Emergency Food Services 2008-2009 Comparison

Over the past year, as the economic downturn has fully hit Pierce County, the number of duplicated clients (or overall visits) has increased by 33% from 670,945 by October of 2008 to 893,536 over the same period in 2009.  Meals served has increased 36% and the overall pounds of food distributed during that period increased by 26%.