12 Things People Don’t Know About Hunger in Clallam County: #1
There are 12 Fridays left in the year. Starting today, we will be sharing one blog each week about things people may not know about hunger in our community. We hope you learn, share, and get involved in reducing hunger in Clallam County!
1. Most People Facing Hunger Are Working
When many people think about hunger, they picture unemployment.
It's a common assumption that if someone has a job, they should be able to afford groceries. But for thousands of families across Clallam County, the reality is far more complicated.
In Clallam County, nearly 4 out of every 10 households are struggling to afford the basics.
According to United For ALICE, 39% of Clallam County households live below the ALICE Threshold. ALICE represents a part of the population that work, but still struggle to get by.
The acronym stands for:
Asset Limited
Income Constrained
Employed
These members of our community don’t make enough to cover essentials like housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and childcare. Many of these households include working adults who are doing everything they can to stay afloat.
One of the biggest misconceptions about food insecurity is that it only affects people who are out of work. In truth, many of the individuals and families who visit the Port Angeles Food Bank are working. They are caring for children, commuting to jobs, paying bills, and doing everything they can to simply get by.
Yet even with a paycheck, making ends meet has become increasingly difficult.
When the Math Doesn't Work
Over the past several years, the cost of everyday essentials has climbed dramatically.
Housing costs have increased. Childcare remains expensive and difficult to find. Transportation costs continue to rise, especially in a rural county where many residents travel significant distances for work, school, medical appointments, and groceries. Healthcare expenses, insurance premiums, and prescription costs add additional pressure to already stretched budgets.
At the same time, grocery prices have risen faster than many families can absorb.
For households living paycheck to paycheck, there is often little room for unexpected expenses. A car repair, a medical bill, reduced work hours, or a child's growing needs can quickly throw an entire month's budget off balance.
When every dollar has already been assigned to rent, utilities, transportation, and childcare, food often becomes the most flexible part of the budget and the first place families are forced to cut back.
Hunger Doesn't Always Look Like Hunger
Food insecurity isn't always visible.
It may be the parent working full-time who skips meals so their children can eat.
It may be a couple working multiple jobs while trying to keep up with rising rent.
It may be a family carefully calculating every grocery purchase and hoping there is enough food to make it to the next paycheck.
Many people experiencing food insecurity don't fit the stereotypes we often associate with hunger. They are our coworkers, neighbors, parents at school pickup, and people we pass every day without realizing the challenges they are facing.
How the Food Bank Helps
The Port Angeles Food Bank exists to help bridge the gap when income and expenses no longer align.
By providing groceries at no cost, we help families stretch their limited resources further. Every visit to The Market means a family has more room in their budget for rent, utilities, transportation, childcare, prescriptions, and other necessities.
Food assistance doesn't replace hard work. It supports people through periods when hard work alone isn't enough to overcome rising costs and unexpected challenges.
Looking Beyond Assumptions
Food insecurity is not always the result of unemployment. More often, it is the result of a simple reality: the cost of living has risen faster than many households can keep up.
Understanding this helps us see hunger differently—not as a personal failure, but as a challenge that affects working families throughout our community.
In the coming weeks, we'll continue exploring the realities of hunger in Clallam County and the stories behind the statistics. Because the more we understand the challenges our neighbors face, the better equipped we are to build a community where everyone has access to the food they need.