Cities are struggling to meet the needs of the hungry and homeless, according to a report today from The U.S. Conference of Mayors.

“This year’s survey found continuing increases in demand for services and continuing shortfalls in meeting service needs,” according to the report, the result of a survey of 22 of the cities whose mayors serve on The U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness. Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie sits on the task force.

Officials provided information on the extent and causes of hunger and homelessness in their cities, and the emergency food assistance and homeless services provided between Sept. 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015.

The report highlighted efforts of various municipalities to combat both problems, including Partnership for a Hunger-Free Polk County, an effort led by Polk County Supervisors John Mauro and Angela Connolly and made up of Greater Des Moines health care providers, religious institutions, universities, senior and community centers, government agencies, food banks and food pantries.

Here is the profile of hunger in Des Moines:

Nationally, 66 percent of the surveyed cities reported that the number of requests for emergency food assistance increased over the past year. Across the surveyed cities, emergency food assistance increased by an average of 2.8 percent.

Among those requesting emergency food assistance, 67 percent were persons in families, 42 percent were employed, 23 percent were elderly and 10 percent were homeless.

Low wages led the list of causes of hunger cited by the surveyed cities, followed by poverty and high housing costs. City officials said that more jobs with higher wages, as well as more affordable housing are actions that should be taken to reduce hunger.

The cities reported a 3 percent average increase in the number of pounds of food distributed during the past year. Budgets for emergency food assistance increased by 7.2 percent.

Across the surveyed cities, 23 percent of the demand for emergency food assistance is estimated to have been unmet.

In 47 percent of the responding cities, the emergency kitchens and food pantries had to reduce the quantity of food persons could receive at each food pantry visit or the amount of food offered per meal at emergency kitchens.

In 57 percent of the cities, the number of times a person or family could visit a food pantry each month was reduced. Also in 57 percent of the cities, facilities had to turn away people because of lack of resources.

Read more about Hunger-Free Polk County at BusinessRecord.com.