More Workers Use Food Bank High Apartment Rents, Low Wages Force Full-Time Employees To Seek Free Food

Rising housing costs and low wages are pushing more of Spokane’s working poor to emergency food banks.

A sampling of the 13,000 people helped monthly by the Spokane Food Bank found more are relying on free food despite working full time.

Twenty percent reported holding down full-time jobs, up from 8 percent in 1991. More than a third of those surveyed said low or stagnant income drove them to the food bank.

And 43 percent of those responding reported paying at least $400 in rent, a huge increase from the 8 percent who paid that much or more in 1991.

“If you want to look at why people are stretched and tight, the numbers just jump out at you,” said Al Brislain, food bank director.

The food bank distributes 250 tons of bread, fruit and soup every month to poor people in Washington, Idaho and Montana. The survey was conducted by interviewing 558 recipients in August.

The survey also found the poor leaning on other handouts more than ever.

Three out of five get food stamps, according to the survey, twice as many as eight years ago. One out of four rely on friends or relatives for meals.

Despite the help, almost half the people surveyed said they went hungry to feed their kids.

“Live a week in my car, walk a mile in my shoes,” said one respondent.

“If (politicians) would spend their money like I spend my money, we wouldn’t have so many problems,” said another.

Brislain attributes some of the increased demand for free food to changes in government safety nets. Food stdamp programs, for example, were cut nationwide last summer.

One-third of those surveyed said they need help from the Spokane Food Bank because of cuts in government aid and delays in getting food stamps.

“More and more, government is looking toward the nonprofit community” to help the poor, Brislain said.

The survey shows Spokane’s working poor need better pay, said Rusty Nelson, a member of a campaign advocating an $8.25-an-hour minimum wage in the city.

“That just affirms that we are on the right track,” Nelson said.

The “living wage” campaign, organized by the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, has collected about 1,000 signatures on petitions. The group plans to send them to the City Council for consideration.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Spokane Food Bank