Katie Savannah Amos 11/4/13 First Draft Food, Religion, and Socio-economic Status My fellow colleagues and I are

proposing a research project to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at App State regarding the relationships between demographics and religion. Our research is absolutely necessary in order to understand and establish the tripartite relationship between religion, food, and socio-economic status. There has been extensive research conducted on the nature of correlative relationships between food and socio-economic status as well as the similar relationship between religion and socio-economic status, but no texts have been published to explain any ternary connection. Let us explain the parameters a little more clearly; religion is connected to socioeconomic status by general patterns of religious affiliations remaining consistent with certain income brackets. The connection between socio-economic status and food is rather obvious: the more money you have (ones socio-economic status), the more access you have to healthy, quality food. While these relationships are both separate, they are closely connected by region. For example; the majority of Americans in poverty reside in the south; 50% of Evangelical Churches and 60% of Black Churches are found in the south; and 34% of Evangelical Church members and 47% of Black Church members make below $30,000 a year.

The possibility of a trilateral relationship between socio-economic status, religion, and food is important because everyone deserves to have access to affordable, healthy food that is culturally appropriate. Although this may seem trivial or obscure research, it is crucial in terms of todays concerns about healthy eating and religious tolerance. It is an issue of physical, spiritual, and economic well-being in the context of population diversity and universal aid . Our research will lead to accessible information for many non-profit organizations, religious groups, and maybe even Federal bureaucracies to utilize at their discretion. This research will be the foundation for an incredible new direction of humanitarian work, and it should concern anyone (not just humanitarians, religious persons, or intellectuals) who cares about appropriate and adequate food for all populations, especially underserved and/or overlooked populations.

Citations Traditional: "Census Bureau Homepage." Census Bureau Homepage. United States Census Bureau, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.

Heiman, A., Just, D., McWiliams, B., & Zilberman, D. (n.d.). Religion, religiosity, lifestyles and food consumption. Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics, 9-11. Rabinowitz, Harold, and Greg Tobin. Religion in America: A Comprehensive Guide to Faith, History, and Tradition. New York: Sterling, 2011. Print.

Hyperlink:

"Access to Healthy Food." Access to Healthy Food-PolicyLink. PolicyLink, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. "Healthy Eating Index." Healthy Eating Index. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.

"Healthy Food Access Portal." Healthy Food Access Portal. The Food Trust, Policy Link, The Reinvestment Fund, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2013.

""Nones" on the Rise." Pew Research Centers Religion Public Life Project RSS. Pew Research Center, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.

"Non Prots." Rootsofchange.org. Roots of Change, n.d. Web. 3 Nov. 2013.

"Poverty." Income, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2012. US Census Bureau, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.

Treuhaft, Sarah, and Allison Karpyn. "The Grocery Gap: Who Has Access to Healthy Food and Why It Matters." Policylink.org. Policy Link and The Food Trust, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.

"U.S. Religion Map and Religious Populations - U.S. Religious Landscape Study - Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life." U.S. Religion Map and Religious Populations - U.S.

Religious Landscape Study - Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. The Pew Research Center, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. "USDA Food Patterns." USDA Food Patterns. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.

"USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food Cost of Food at Home." USDA Food Plans: Cost of Food Cost of Food at Home. United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.