• About the Study
• Methodology
  • Instrument Development
  • Training
  • Agency Survey
  • Client Survey
  • Response Rates
  • Analysis Methods
  • Reporting Conventions
  • Degree of Comparability
  • Number of A2H Clients Served
    • Background and Limitations
    • Overview of Findings
    • Estimates of Number of Pantries
    • Estimate of Number of Pantry Clients
    • Number of Kitchens
    • Different Clients Served By Kitchens
    • Shelters and Shelter Clients
    • Estimates of Different Clients
    • Discussion of Participation Estimates
• Key Findings
• Who We Serve
• How We Serve
• Local Picture
• Snapshot Comparisons
• Media Center

Estimates of Emergency Shelters and the Number of Emergency Shelter Clients in a Year (4.7)

We have derived estimates of the number of emergency shelters and clients attending them using methods exactly the same as those used for kitchens (Table 4.7.1 and Table 4.7.2 ).  Overall, we estimate that the number of emergency shelters served by all A2H food banks is 4,143 and that the number of different clients served meals annually by the shelters is 1.3 to 1.4 million.

Table 4.7.1
ESTIMATED NUMBER OF SHELTERS IN THE A2H NETWORK

1. Total operating agencies listed in the files of the participating food banks	44,332
2. Percentage of agencies listed as operating at least one pantry, kitchen, or shelter a	66.6
3. Subtotal	29,547
4. Percentage of agencies in Line 3 that were found no longer to be operating or to be operating only types of agencies other than pantries, kitchens, or shelters	16.3
5.  Subtotal	24,731
6.  Percentage of agencies in Line 5 that operate shelters b	7.5
7. Agencies operating shelters	1,854
8. Average shelter providers per agency operating shelters	1.92
9. Final estimate of shelters in participating food banks	3,568
10. Adjustment factor for nonparticipating food banks	1.23
11. Final estimate of shelters	4,143

Source:   
Lines 1-7 are based on client survey records; Line 8 is based on tabulations of agency survey data.

aRemaining agencies were listed in an “other” category, as operating some other type of provider with food service operations, such as a day care center or a halfway house program.

b Some additional ineligible agencies were found during the survey work.

Table 4.7.2
DERIVATION OF ESTIMATE OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE USING SHELTERS ANNUALLY

1.     Estimated number of different people visiting shelters in a week	181,000
2.     Average number of children accompanying adults	0.2
3.     Estimated different adults and children visiting shelters in a week	217,200
4.     Estimated average monthly percentage of all clients who start using shelters each month a	34.5 to 37.5
5.     Estimated new entrants in a year b	1.0 to 1.1 million
6.     Estimated different adults and children using shelters in a year c	1.2 million
7.     Adjustment for nonparticipating food banks	1.23
8.     Different people served annually by shelters in the  A2H Network (Line 6 × 7)	1.3 to 1.4 million

Source:    See the Technical Appendix volume for details of the derivation of the table entries.

a Estimated percentage is percentage entering in a month.  The base of the estimates is the estimated clients at a given point in time, as approximated by a week.

b Calculated as follows:  (11 months) × (percentage entering per month from Line 4) × (base estimate of clients at a point in time from Line 3).