Programs That Turned Away Clients (12.3)
Agencies were asked whether clients had been turned away within the past year and, if so, how many and for what reasons. Agencies were asked to use either their records or their best estimates to supply this information. Tables 12.3.1 and 12.3.2 show the results.
Table 12.3.1
PROGRAMS THAT TURNED AWAY CLIENTS
|
|
Pantry Programs |
Kitchen Programs |
Shelter Programs |
|---|---|---|---|
Did the program turn away clients during the past year? a |
|
|
|
Yes |
32.9% |
12.8% |
51.6% |
No |
67.1% |
87.2% |
48.4% |
TOTAL |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) |
18,436 |
4,514 |
2,704 |
|
|
|
|
Average number of clients turned away in the past year among those that turned away at least one client |
66 |
108 |
191 |
Median number of clients turned away in the past year among those that turned away at least one client |
12 |
10 |
38 |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) – Programs providing a valid number of clients who were turned away |
3,226 |
306 |
627 |
|
|
|
|
Reasons for turning away clients b |
|
|
|
Lack of food resources |
34.4% |
32.1% |
14.5% |
Services needed not provided by the program |
22.3% |
16.5% |
44.7% |
Clients were ineligible or could not prove eligibility |
36.3% |
14.6% |
37.5% |
Clients abused program/came too often |
50.9% |
8.4% |
14.2% |
Clients exhibited drug, alcohol, or behavior problem |
18.2% |
54.4% |
55.1% |
Clients lived outside service area |
40.2% |
6.6% |
7.2% |
Clients had no proper identification |
25.7% |
4.7% |
9.9% |
Client’s income exceeded the guidelines |
20.7% |
2.2% |
1.7% |
Other |
7.9% |
19.4% |
39.9% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) – Programs that turned away clients |
5,713 |
490 |
1,186 |
Source:
This table was constructed based on usable responses to
questions 9, 10, and 12 of the agency
survey
.
Notes:
All usable responses were weighted as described in Chapter 3
and in the Technical Appendix
volume to represent all emergency food programs of the A2H National Network. The sample sizes (N) also include missing data.
For programs that turned away clients, missing, don’t know, and refusal responses combined are 7.1% for pantry programs, 14.7% for kitchen programs, and 15.5% for shelter programs.
For reasons for turning away clients, missing, don’t know, and refusal responses combined are 1.4% for pantry programs, 3.8% for kitchen programs, and 1.6% for shelter programs.
a For pantries, responses greater than 3,000 clients turned away were recoded as 3,000 clients. For kitchens and shelters, responses greater than 2,500 clients turned away were recoded as 2,500 clients.
b Multiple responses were accepted.
As Table 12.3.1 shows, 32.9% of the pantries, 12.8% of the kitchens, and 51.6% of the shelters responded that they turned away clients during the past year. Reasons for turning away clients follow:
- Among programs turning away clients, 34.4% of the pantries, 32.1% of the kitchens, and 14.5% of the shelters turned away clients at least once due to lack of food resources.
- Among programs turning away clients, 22.3% of the pantries, 16.5% of the kitchens, and 44.7% of the shelters turned away clients at least once because the services needed were not provided by the program.
- Among programs turning away clients, 36.3% of the pantries, 14.6% of the kitchens, and 37.5% of the shelters turned away clients at least once because the clients were ineligible or could not prove eligibility.
- Among programs turning away clients, 50.9% of the pantries, 8.4% of the kitchens, and 14.2% of the shelters turned away clients at least once because the clients abused the program or because they came too often.
