About the Need

Today, 15% of the USA-one in six Americans- are considered poor. Now among the poor are the college-educated, the former middle class worker and homeowner.

According to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture based on a study conducted by the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank states, in the northern Shenandoah Valley, more than 25 percent of Winchester's area children are struggling with hunger. Frederick, Shenandoah and Warren Counties all fall within the 21 percent range and Clarke County is at 17 percent.

Over 4,000 households in the local area participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP which was once known as the food stamp program. While Winchester, applications have remained steady for the 2010-2011 fiscal year; however, both Frederick and Clarke Counties have seen an increase in numbers of households applying for SNAP benefits. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank states that more than four in ten children qualify for programs like SNAP but aren't receiving assistance because they sit too far above the poverty line.

In the recently released County Health Rankings by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows a breakdown of health factors by community in Virginia, including those in this region:

Clarke County

Teen birth rate of 27 babies per 1,000 girls age 15-19 compared to 36 per 1,000 across the state
Uninsured adult rate of 16 percent
6 percent unemployment rate
9 percent poverty rate
23 percent of families live in a single parent household

Winchester

Teen birth rate of 72 babies per 1,000 girls age 15-19 compared to 36 per 1,000 across the state
Uninsured adult rate of 22 percent
8 percent unemployment rate
18 percent poverty rate
42 percent of families live in a single parent household