Mary+A

Helpful Websites: []

Research on Ancient Roman Starvation:


 * Even though the Romans suffered from starvation the still used it as a weapon in war.
 * One main reason the empire was failing was because the soil had been over used. The soil that had never been super fertile had now lost all its fertility and now made it almost impossible to grow food to feed the masses.
 * Soil erosion was causing more and more marshes to appear. This caused farmlands and tows to be completely covered.
 * At first the government in Rome put out rations each day for people. But each day the rations lessened. So essentially when the government decided not to spend huge amounts of money on feeding the masses people started to starve.
 * Eventually when bandits started to invade, most farmers were forced to go to war by the government. This left no one to tend to the crops and therefore made it very hard for people to get food.
 * Once inflation started in Rome it was very hard for Rome to afford to trade. This was one of two major necessities for food. With most of it gone people starved.
 * Rome’s food sources were also declining because many wars with the bandits would go straight over farmland. This worsened the quality of the land and the fertility of the soil.

Research on Modern Starvation:
 * Feeding America is helping to feed over 37 million Americans today
 * 1 in 8 Americans rely on Feeding America for food
 * In 2006 Feeding America was feeding half the people they are now.
 * Most hunger starts with poverty not with a lack of food to eat in the US. Children go hungry **because** their parents aren’t getting paid enough to buy food to feed them.
 * END HUNGER: national nutrition plans. Schools reduce lunch prices. People give food packages away to help.
 * California, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma and South Carolina all have food insecurity and hunger rates that are significantly higher than the national average. The lone bright spot in the nation is Oregon. Once considered to have the worst hunger in the country, Oregon has shown significant decreases in food insecurity and hunger since 1999-2001.
 * Some websites said that poverty could be solved with better educations and child support + better work opportunities for young and older adults.

Questions I am Asking My Experts:
 * Who funds Free Food Banks?
 * What is the average ration of food from a Free Food Bank?
 * In your opinion, what is the biggest root cause of food shortages in the US? Is it an environmental issue or something more political?
 * In your experience, what have you found to be the most successful way to feed masses of people? Food drives? Food stamps? Helping people find employment? Or something else?

Expert Contacts: Oregon Food Banks- 503-282-0555 jkempe-ware@oregonfoodbank.org Anonymous- info@m25m.org

Interaction with Oregon Food Banks:

Dear Sir or Ma'am, Hi my name is Mary Anderson and I am a student at Nagel middle school. My social studies class is researching ways to "solve" ancient Rome's problems. My group and I were assigned starvation. We just had a few questions about your company and how you help with starvation problems. Thank you for your time and consideration in these questions.
 * 1) We understand that the majority of your donations come from donors that you cannot name, but do you get any funding from the government? Do you know if the government has their own way to help starvation?
 * 2) What is the average ration of food from the free store food bank? How many costumers do you get a day? Do some people come regularly? How do people pay for the food?
 * 3) In your opinion, what is the biggest root cause of food shortages in the US? Is it an environmental issue or something more political?
 * 4) In your experience, what have you found to be the most successful way to feed masses of people? Food drives? Food stamps? Helping people find employment? Or something else?

Sincerely, Mary Anderson Dear Mary Anderson, Starvation is different from “hunger” or “food insecurity.” In America, we don’t see “starvation” the way you see it in, for example, Africa. If you want to know more about starvation in Africa, you might call Mercy Corps, which works internationally. The Oregon Food Bank Network is more likely to deal with what the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as “food insecurity” or “very low food insecurity” (also known as hunger). The Census Bureau has 18 questions in its nationwide survey which assesses food insecurity and hunger in America. Basically, we call it food insecurity when people worry about worry about how they will get their next meal and aren’t sure if they will have enough food to feed their children. Hunger is when families cut back on meals, miss meals or go days without eating. Oregon’s hunger rate is always very high. In answer to your questions: > 30,000 individual private donors contributed 71,000 gifts during the last fiscal year. 89% of our Operating Fund revenue comes from private sources. Only 11% comes from government sources in the form of surplus food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. > > An average emergency food box provides a 3 to 5 day supply of food for a family. On average, recipient households receive less than four emergency food boxes a year. > > Oregon Food Bank doesn’t distribute food directly to clients. Oregon Food Bank distributes food to agencies. The Oregon Food Bank distributes food fairly and equitably to 20 regional food banks throughout Oregon and Clark County, Washington. They, in turn, distribute the food to 923 local partner agencies, such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, low-income day care centers, residential treatment centers and similar agencies. > > The government has a number of very, very critical programs to help fight hunger. WIC (The Women Infants and Children program); SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) also known as food stamps; free-and reduced-meal school lunches; TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program); Summer Meals for kids; and Child and Adult Care Food Program. > > Most people don’t come regularly. The average household comes less than four times a year. > > Food from an agency that is a member of the Oregon Food Bank Network may NOT charge for food. The Oregon Food Bank Network agencies (923 local member agencies) MUST distribute the food without charge to the clients. > > Hunger is an income issue. Too many people don’t make enough money to cover their basic costs. We don’t have enough “family-wage” jobs in Oregon. Too many are low-wage “service” jobs that don’t may enough. > > It’s political. We have enough food in America, but it isn’t distributed equitably. We could solve hunger with sufficient political will. > > > Paying people a higher wage would help solve hunger. Many people work several jobs and still can’t make it. But if the government fully-funded food stamps, we could solve hunger within months. Write letters to your elected officials telling them to fully fund food stamps to stop hunger.
 * We just had a few questions about your company and how you help with starvation problems**.
 * **We understand that the majority of your donations come from donors that you cannot name, but do you get any funding from the government?**
 * **What is the average ration of food from the free store food bank?**
 * **How many costumers do you get a day?**
 * **Do you know if the government has their own way to help starvation?**
 * **Do some people come regularly?**
 * **How do people pay for the food?**
 * **In your opinion, what is the biggest root cause of food shortages in the US?**
 * **Is it an environmental issue or something more political?**
 * **In your experience, what have you found to be the most successful way to feed masses of people? Food drives? Food stamps? Helping people find employment? Or something else?**

Jean

Jean Kempe-Ware, public relations manager, Oregon Food Bank 503-419-4170 (o), 503-572-7588 (c) Jkempe-ware@oregonfoodbank.org www.oregonfoodbank.org

**Our mission: To eliminate hunger and its root causes **

**… because no one should be hungry. ** Interaction with Anonymous:

Dear Sir or Ma'am, Hi my name is Mary Anderson and I am a student at Nagel middle school. My social studies class is researching ways to "solve" ancient Rome's problems. My group and I were assigned starvation. We just had a few questions about your company and how you help with starvation problems.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank you for your time and consideration in these questions.
 * 1) We understand that the majority of your donations come from donors that you cannot name, but do you get any funding from the government? Do you know if the government has their own way to help starvation?
 * 2) What is the average ration of food from your mission? How many costumers do you get a day? Do some people come regularly? How do people pay for the food?
 * 3) <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">In your opinion, what is the biggest root cause of food shortages in the US? Is it an environmental issue or something more political?
 * 4) <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">In your experience, what have you found to be the most successful way to feed masses of people? Food drives? Food stamps? Helping people find employment? Or something else?

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Sincerely,

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Mary Anderson

<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> Mary, thanks for contacting us to assist with your project. I'll do my best to answer your questions:

1. ** We understand that the majority of your donations come from donors that you cannot name, but do you get any funding from the government? ** We do not receive government funding. Our in-kind donations come from major corporations and manufacturers, churches, schools, groups, organizations and individuals; our financial donations come primarily from individuals, churches, foundations, corporations, processing fees, fundraisers and events.

2. ** Do you know if the government has their own way to help starvation? ** "The government" is a very inclusive phrase. Much of the assistance for those in need comes from the state level - in Ohio the Department of Jobs and Family Services. This government division oversees the administration of programs including unemployment, child support, health care, food assistance, cash assistance, childcare and housing assistance. While these programs are very helpful, there are many individuals and families who "fall into the cracks" and either do not or cannot get assistance through these programs. Often, these are the people Matthew 25 reaches out to through local partners. Many of these individuals and families are finding themselves without income for the very first time as a result of the fluctuating economy and high unemployment. There are also approximately 2,244 nonprofits with revenue in excess of $25,000 a year in Greater Cincinnati alone. Many of these nonprofits work to "fill in the gaps" in governmental assistance programs by providing housing, food, education, job assistance, substance abuse counseling etc.

3. **What is the average ration of food from your mission?** We are not a food pantry. We distribute humanitarian aid including food through our local distribution partners. We work with more than 40 local organizations including food pantries, shelters and orphanages to distribute basic necessities like food, clothing and personal care products to people in need.

**How many costumers do you get a day? Do some people come regularly? How do people pay for the food?** These questions are not applicable to us.

4. **In your opinion, what is the biggest root cause of food shortages in the US?** There is no shortage of food in the US. About 15 years ago, the United States Department of Agriculture estimated that more than 96 billion pounds of edible food went to waste in the US that year. And, according to anthropologist Tim Jones, the US throws away about half of the food it produces. The world produces enough food to feed everyone.

In my opinion, the root of the hunger problem in the US is poverty. Many people do not have enough income to purchase suitable amounts of food, or must make unimaginable choices like “do I buy food or pay my rent” – “buy food or have my electricity shut off”. Additionally, since low-cost foods are often not those most packed with nutrients, low-income people may not be eating the right kinds of foods, just the cheapest. Poverty causes hunger and hunger then causes poverty - a vicious cycle. Children who are hungry and undernourished are sick more often and struggle in school, adults who are hungry and undernourished have more health problems, less concentration and energy. **Is it an environmental issue or something more political?** Neither as there is no food shortage.

5. **In your experience, what have you found to be the most successful way to feed masses of people? Food drives? Food stamps? Helping people find employment? Or something else?** Again, we do not directly feed people. We provide food to local partners including food pantries and shelters who distribute the food to their recipients. However, as a general observation, we at Matthew 25 are firm believers in the phrase **//“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a life time”.//** Matthew 25 seeks to address the comprehensive problems of severe poverty by fostering an environment where individuals can accept and utilize assistance to take steps toward a more sustainable future for themselves and their communities.

Hope this helps, <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: 'Brush Script MT'; line-height: 36px;">Anonymous

Works Cited for Roman Starvation:
 * . "The Role of Deforestation in the Fall of Rome." // H2g2 // . N.p., 23rd March 2004. Web. 7 Feb 2012. <http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/A2184473>.
 * . "Ancient Roman Economy." // UNRV History // . N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb 2012. <http://www.unrv.com/economy.php>.
 * . "Reasons Why the Roman Empire Fell." // Roman Colosseum // . N.p., 2008. Web. 7 Feb 2012. <http://www.roman-colosseum.info/roman-empire/reason-why-the-roman-empire-fell.htm>.
 * . "Roman Weapons and Tactics." // Richeast.org // . Rich East High School, 3/29/00. Web. 7 Feb 2012. <http://www.richeast.org/htwm/Greeks/Romans/weapons/weapons.html>.
 * Reed, Lawrence. "Are We Going the Way of Rome." // The Macinac Center for Public Policy // . The Macinac Center, Sept. 1, 2001. Web. 7 Feb 2012. <http://www.mackinac.org/3>.

Work Cited for Modern Starvation:

My script: Ancient Rome was a vast and powerful Empire. When conquering other areas they had many war tactics, one of which was starvation. Because of economic policies and mistreatment of farmers, Rome no longer inflicted starvation as a weapon but became a victim of it. We have concluded that Rome could have been starving for a couple reasons. First, their soil, which was never extremely fertile, had lost all its fertility due to overuse and farmers leaving mid-season to join the army. The government took most of the grain grown by the farmers for rations. Unfortunately, this left farmers with insufficient denarii to pay for food and other basic needs.
 * Gardner, Laura. "Hunger in USA rises by 43 percent over last five years." // Medical News Today // . MediLexon International, 29 Oct 2005. Web. 7 Feb 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/32800.php>.
 * "Solutions to World Poverty." // World-Poverty.org // . N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb 2012. <http://world-poverty.org/solutionstopoverty.asp&xgt;.
 * . "U.S. Hunger." // Bread for the World // . N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb 2012. <http://www.bread.org/hunger/us/>.
 * . "Hunger Study 2010." // Feeding America // . Feeding America, 2010. Web. 7 Feb 2012. <http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/hunger-study-2010.asp&xgt;

In the United States today we have a similar problem to Rome. We have many unemployed people who rely on the help of others, companies, and the government to support their needs. One company, Feeding America, helps over 37 million people today. That means 1 in 8 Americans rely on Feeding America alone. In 2006 Feeding America was feeding about 19.5 million people. That number has been doubled today! Besides the help from companies we have tried some other solutions including reduced and free school lunches and national nutrition plans. Out of all 50 states Oregon is said to be the state with the highest rate of hunger in the United States. Between 1999 and 2001 Oregon showed a terrific increase in food insecurity and hunger.

I believe that there are possible solutions that Roma could look into, one of which could be helping the unemployed. Rome’s government was making farmers go to war and replacing them with slaves while they were gone. The initial problem with this is that when the farmers returned they did not receive their jobs back. This left farmers with no money to pay for life necessities. Besides this, Roman farmers couldn’t pay for food anyway because the government took most crops grown. I think this could be solved if the government created unemployment offices. This would make jobs for the people working there and clients jobs of their own. Then they would be able to pay for basic needs. Another one of the main reasons for starvation in Rome was the lack of food. I feel this could be solved with more importing. If Rome could start to import food with close cities in the empire weekly they could have enough food to last every week. They could also create mini Trojans markets all over the city in convenient places for more people to sell their products. These are the solutions I propose for Rome.

My project:

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