MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Ten Ways to End hunger!
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Facts About Hunger in the USA
- In 2017, 40 million people struggled with hunger in the United States.
- The USDA defines "food insecurity" as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for all household members. In 2017, an estimated 15 million households were food insecure.
- In America, hunger is caused by poverty and financial resources at both the national and local levels.
- 45 million Americans rely on stipends from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy food each month, according to the USDA. 2/3 of these benefits go to households with children.
- 1 in 6 American children may not know where their next meal is coming from.
- 22 million children in America rely on the free or reduced-price lunch they receive at school, but as many as 3 million children still aren't getting the breakfast they need.
- Children who experience food insecurity are at a higher risk of developing asthma, struggling with anxiety or depression, and performing poorly in school or physical activities.
- 15% of families living in rural areas experience food insecurity, compared with 11.8% living in suburban and metropolitan areas.
- People of color are disproportionately affected by higher risk of hunger. 22.5% of Black households and 18.5% of Latinx/Hispanic households experienced food insecurity in 2018.
- These 8 states have the highest rates of food insecurity in the United States: Mississippi (18.7%), Louisiana (18.3%), Alabama (18.1%), New Mexico (17.6%), Arkansas (17.5%), Kentucky (17.3%), Maine (16.4%), Oklahoma (15.2%).
- These 8 states have the highest rates of food insecurity in the United States: Mississippi (18.7%), Louisiana (18.3%), Alabama (18.1%), New Mexico (17.6%), Arkansas (17.5%), Kentucky (17.3%), Maine (16.4%), Oklahoma (15.2%).
- In 2017, households with children had a substantially higher rate of food insecurity (15.7%) than those without children (10.1%).
1). Power up your food drive.
Emergency food providers (food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens) can purchase and acquire food in bulk, which means that a dollar donated can go many times farther than a dollar spent on cans for a food drive. Cash donations also help pay the important but often overlooked overhead costs of running a food pantry or soup kitchen, such as transportation or utilities. Still want to hold a food drive? Ask people to match each food item they donate with a dollar, or host a healthy food drive. Many people who depend on food pantries and soup kitchens have diabetes, high cholesterol or high bloodpressure, so to maintain health, they need foods that are low in sugar, fat and salt. Take a look at SuperFood Drive’s materials for hosting a healthy food drive, and be sure to ask the food pantry or soup kitchen what types of food or supplies they need the most. You won’t know until you ask, and you may be surprised.
2). Advocate for federal nutrition programs.
About one in four Americans depends on USDA food and nutrition assistance programs to help feed themselves and their families. These programs, such as SNAP, WIC and public school breakfast and lunch provide over 20 times more food than food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens do, which is why it is so important to advocate for government policies that help hungry people, especially as Congress considers deep cuts to these programs.
3). Volunteer in February.
Many people like to volunteer on Thanksgiving or Christmas because it feels good to help people in need, but food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens need dedicated volunteers year-round. Start a new tradition and sign up to help on a different day, like Arbor Day, or your birthday. Many emergency food providers are in need of volunteers with specialized skills, such as accounting, social media or website design. If you have something unique to offer, talk to the organization to see how you can get involved.
4). Support grassroots solutions.
Many people in need are making their own change and working to improve access to healthy food in their own communities. Building a stronger local food economy can create jobs, keep money in the region and give people control over their own food. You can support these efforts in community gardens, co-ops, farmers markets, youth empowerment programs and similar work.
5). Read a book.
A greater understanding of the underlying causes and systems of hunger and poverty in America will better equip you to make a difference. Read a classic,
like Sweet Charity by Janet Poppedieck or Nickeled and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, or check out more recent publications, such as The American Way
of Eating by Tracie McMillan or The Stop by Nick Saul and Andrea Curtis. Rather see a movie? Check out A Place at the Table.
Green Revolution
The Doubly Green Revolution
by Gordon Conway
the Poor
Banker to the Poor
by Muhammad Yunus
Beyond Mountains
Mountains Beyond Mountains
by Tracy Kidder
Face of Hunger
Changing the Face of Hunger
by Tony Hall
The Bible
The New Oxford Annotated Bible
6). Advocate for an increased minimum wage
As the cost of living rises, incomes are not keeping up, and many people are finding they have to cut food costs to pay their other bills and expenses. Increasing the minimum wage is a lasting way to reduce hunger and bring people out of poverty. A bill to increase the federal minimum wage has been introduced in the Senate, and there are also many efforts to raise the minimum wage on state and local levels.
7). Support fair wages and better conditions for food workers.
Nearly 20 million people are employed as restaurant or farm workers in the U.S. Despite the back-breaking nature of this work, these are some of the lowest-paying jobs in the country. A recent study showed that more than half of the families of front-line, fast-food workers depend on public programs such as Medicaid or food stamps. You can make a difference by supporting organizations who are working to change this, such as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Restaurant Opportunities Centers and United and Food Chain Workers Alliance.
8). Stand behind immigration reform.
One-third of undocumented immigrants live in poverty. Immigration reform has the potential to grant immigrants access to both government benefits and many career and education opportunities that could help them attain a better quality of life and reduce hunger.
9). Be an ally.
10). Spread the Word
Share this article with friends and family so they can make a difference, too. And If you know someone who needs help finding food, you can refer them to WhyHunger’s National Hunger Hotline (1-866-3 HUNGRY and 1-877-8 HAMBRE). Download National Hunger Hotline posters and hang them in places like libraries, schools and supermarkets, so hungry people in your community can find out how to access government nutrition programs and emergency food.
- Feeding America. “Facts About Hunger and Poverty in America.” Feeding America, 2017. Web accessed April 16, 2019. ↩︎
- Coleman-Jenson, A., Gregory, C., Rabbitt, M., & Singh, A. “Household Food Security in the United States in 2017.” USDA Economic Research Service, 2018. Web accessed April 18, 2019. ↩︎
- Feeding America. “Poverty and unemployment impact food insecurity.” Feeding America, 2018. Web accessed Apr. 18, 2019. ↩︎
- No Kid Hungry. “Child Hunger Facts.” No Kid Hungry, 2018. Web accessed April 16, 2019. ↩︎
- Feeding America. “Facts About Child Hunger in America.” Feeding America, 2017. Web accessed April 18, 2019. ↩︎
- No Kid Hungry. “Child Hunger Facts.” No Kid Hungry, 2018. Web accessed April 16, 2019. ↩︎
- Food Research & Action Center. “The Impact of Poverty, Food Insecurity, and Poor Nutrition on Health and Well-Being.” FRAC, 2017. Web accessed April 18, 2019. ↩︎
- America’s Health Rankings. “Analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement.” United Health Foundation, 2019. Web accessed April 18, 2019. ↩︎
- America’s Health Rankings. “Analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement.” United Health Foundation, 2019. Web accessed April 18, 2019. ↩︎
- America’s Health Rankings. “Analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement.” United Health Foundation, 2019. Web accessed April 18, 2019. ↩︎
- Coleman-Jenson, A., Gregory, C., Rabbitt, M. “Key Statistics | Food Insecurity by Household Characteristics.” USDA Economic Research Service, 2018. Web accessed April 18, 2019.↩︎