New Study Shows 1 in 4 Iowans Has Experienced Hunger

DES MOINES - Most Iowans view hunger as an important problem in the state, with a third saying it is a very important issue, according to a new AARP Iowa survey released at the 2013 Iowa Hunger Summit, organized by the World Food Prize Foundation.

Findings also show that more than one in four Iowans surveyed said they had experienced food insecurity in their own household, and nearly half said that someone close to them has had limited access to adequate food on a regular basis due to not having enough money or other resources to buy food.

Forty-eight percent of Iowans said they think the number of families at risk for hunger has increased over the past two years, and 40 percent said they believe the need for places where those at risk can get free food or meals has increased, as well.

"Iowans, have a long history of humanitarian leadership against hunger at home and around the world, so it's not surprising that they rank hunger as an important problem for our state to address," said AARP Iowa State Director Kent Sovern. "What is surprising is that while about one in four Iowans has had direct experience with hunger in their household, almost half of Iowans know someone who has been food insecure. With increasing numbers of Iowans at risk for hunger there is a need for more resources to reduce food insecurity and we hope these survey results will focus more attention on the urgency of the issue and renew Iowans' desire to help in their communities."

Findings show Iowans are committed to fighting against hunger as more than half of Iowans responded that they have donated money or food to an organization providing food to those in need or directly to individuals in need in the last 12 months. In addition, far more Iowans surveyed indicated they would give more money and food, if asked.

"The generosity of Iowans really comes through in this survey," said Sovern. "And, the findings clearly indicate that people are willing to give more if asked. We hope our partners and all of Iowa's hunger advocates will be able to leverage these survey results to increase hunger relief in communities across our state through increased volunteer involvement and food and money donations. "

The survey finds that Iowans strongly approve (79.9 percent) of the State of Iowa's $1 million match of donations to Iowa food banks in 2014, and by about the same ratio, Iowans support AARP's role in working with the state of Iowa in fighting hunger for Iowans age 50 and above. Iowans believe that both the public and private sectors must work to reduce the number of families at risk for hunger as nearly three-quarters of the respondents indicated they see fighting hunger in the state as an issue best dealt with by state government working in conjunction with public and private organizations and individuals.

"These findings highlight the great work Iowans are doing to help fight food insecurity. The data also helps us to focus our attention and resources on those in greatest need." said Sovern.

AARP Iowa and AARP Foundation commissioned the statewide survey as part of their commitment to raise awareness of the issue food insecurity, particularly among older adults. The telephone survey of 800 Iowans age 18 and over was conducted by Precision Opinion between Sept. 6-16, 2013. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percent.

Survey demographics identify respondents as roughly 50-50 male-female, ranging in age from 18-34 (30%), age 35-49 (27%); and age 50+ (43%).  Respondents are long-time Iowans, having lived in the state an average of 39 years, and for an average of 16 years at their current residence.  Almost 18 percent of respondents live on a farm.  The majority of respondents are voters, with 54% reporting they always vote and 26% reporting they vote most of the time.  Respondents identify political party affiliations as Republican (27%); Democrat (28%); Other (28%); No Party (11%).

A full copy of the survey is posted at www.aarp.org/ia or is available by contacting the AARP Iowa State Office at 515.697.1003 or emailing the office at ia@aarp.org

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About AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services.  A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates.  The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.

 

PORT BYRON, IL - Ms. Soike's 5th grade classroom at Riverdale Elementary School in Port Byron was the winner of the school's contest to collect bears for the Nick Teddy Foundation's Teddy Bear Drive. Her students gathered 38 of 100 bears netted for the effort at the school.

The winning classroom was rewarded with a pizza party at the school on Friday, October 4. Drive coordinator Jamie Rice Fritch commented, "It is so wonderful to see the kids getting involved in such a great cause and giving back to the community. I feel it is very important for the kids of our future to contribute and be hands on with such events."

Overall, nearly 150 teddy bears were collected in the month of August. Several area businesses, libraries, and YMCA's also accepted bears during the drive.

Bears will be donated to pediatric patients at Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria, IL, http://
www.childrenshospitalofillinois.org and to grieving and traumatized children served by Rick's House of Hope in Davenport, IA. http://rhoh.org

More information, can be found online at: http://www.NickTeddy.org, on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/NickTeddyOrg); on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/NickTeddyOrg).

Photos and interviews are available for Teddy Bear Drive wrap up stories.

Executive Director/Contact: Holly Larson/309-798-3081 / foundation@nickteddy.org

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Consumer Advocate: Life Insurance is Finally
Changing to Meet Today's Needs
Expert Shares 4 Ways It's Becoming More Relevant

The percentage of Americans who have life insurance has hit a 50-year low, despite the fact that more Americans than ever have grave concerns about their ability to financially weather a crisis or to someday retire, according to recent surveys.

That tells consumer advocate Ted Bernstein that people are unaware of recent changes that make life insurance more affordable, more accessible, and more relevant to today's needs.

"The fact is, more of us need life insurance. Nearly half of all couples are in dual-income households; if something happens to one spouse or partner, the survivor is likely to have trouble paying the bills," says Bernstein, founder of Life Insurance Concepts, Inc., (www.lifeinsuranceconcepts.com), and a leading proponent of innovations that benefit consumers.

"Add to that, 38 percent of Americans believe they won't have enough money to retire," he says, citing a 2012 Pew Research survey. "Life insurance provides that retirement income."

Finally, he notes, large numbers of people who had corporate life insurance lost it when they were laid off during the recession.

"While some of those people are back to work, they're at lower paying jobs with fewer benefits. Now, they believe they can't afford a new policy, or they fear they may be rejected if they try to get an individual policy," Bernstein says. "Most of those people are wrong. In fact, unless a person has serious health issues, buying an individual policy -- not part of an employer program -- will cost less and offer more benefits."

Bernstein details four ways life insurance is becoming more accessible and relevant:

• Don't assume you'll be rejected or pay more because you're overweight, use tobacco or marijuana infrequently, or have been treated for substance abuse. Underwriters are trying to determine whether lifestyle or medical issues affect your mortality today, Bernstein says. So if you're 30 pounds overweight with no related medical issues, you have a good shot at standard coverage. As for tobacco use, a blood test determines the amount of cotinine - a byproduct of nicotine metabolism - in your system. A certain level is acceptable to some carriers. Marijuana use may not automatically trigger rejection if you have no associated issues. For those with a past history of drug addiction and successful treatment, standard coverage is possible. The key is disclosure.

• Getting older does not mean you automatically pay more. The old rule was to buy young and lock in lower premiums, then hang onto your policy for dear life. "That only benefited insurance companies and the agent who sold the policy," Bernstein says. Today, healthy buyers will get more insurance for the same or less premium by refinancing their existing coverage. "It's a refi - use the built-up equity, the cash value of your policy, to neutralize your older age. Thanks to better mortality rates, healthy buyers always get better coverage today than the policy they bought 10, 20 or 30 years ago," Bernstein says.

• You can save on premiums and provide guaranteed income for your beneficiary by choosing the payout in installments. Traditionally, life insurance claims are paid in one lump sum. The new Installment Life Option is an innovation to meet the needs of people without sufficient retirement savings, and for those concerned their loved ones may lose the principal through mismanagement or a stock market correction. "When the policy owner chooses a deferred payout at the time of purchase, the insurance companies can reduce premiums by as much as 50 percent because they will have more time to pay the claim," Bernstein says. "Plus, your beneficiary doesn't have to worry about managing a very large sum of money."

• Purchasing no load insurance = better value across the board. In the past, life insurance buyers had no option but to buy a policy from companies with built-in commissions. These are non-negotiable and not disclosed to the buyer. While Bernstein strongly recommends buying through a knowledgeable agent, he urges buyers to inquire about "no load" policies priced without the built-in commissions. "You pay a fee to the agent that is typically lower than built-in commissions, and it's transparent; making comparison much easier," Bernstein says.

About Ted Bernstein

Ted Bernstein is a third-generation life insurance specialist with decades of speaking out and advocating for changes on behalf of consumers. He was the first to introduce "no-load" life insurance in the mid-1980s and recently developed the Installment Life Option. Bernstein is a nationally recognized expert in alternative distribution strategies and life insurance product development.

This is an update on the investigation reference the Davenport Police Department Officer Involved Shooting that occurred on Thursday, October 10, 2013.

The subject shot by a Police Officer has been identified as follows:

Ryan Adam Franklin, Age 21, a resident of Davenport.

The last update the Sheriff's Office received was that Franklin was still receiving care and his condition is improving at a local Hospital.

The investigation is on-going. It is hopeful that interviews with Franklin and the two Police Officers can be completed by the middle of next week. In addition, physical evidence collected in the investigation continues to be examined.

There is no further information that can be released at this time.

Thank you.