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Hunger in America
Hunger in America -- Posted by tigerlilly@privacy.net.org.com on 05-27-05 21:02
Despite a booming economy, a stock market that reached historic heights in the
last decade and reports of welfare reform success, wages for many Americans have
simply not risen fast enough to cover the increased cost of living. To these
Americans, food has become an unaffordable luxury. In the past year, of those
people seeking emergency food relief, 35% - that's more than 1 in 3 - had to
choose between paying their rent and buying food.
Based on the Census Bureau survey, USDA estimates that in 2000, 10.5 million
U.S. households were food insecure, meaning that they did not have access to
enough food to meet their basic needs. About 33 million people lived in these
households, including 20 million adults and 13 million children. Hunger in
America has, and continues to be, a real problem for a significant part of our
population.
Hunger In America: Hard Facts
More than one-third (38%) of families leaving welfare reported that they ran
out of food and did not have money for more. (Urban Institute - 2001)
Approximately 7 million different people receive assistance in any given week
(America's Second Harvest - 2001)
96,000,000,000 pounds of food is thrown away each year by the Food Service
Industry. (Source: FoodChain )
33.6 million people including almost 13 million children live in households
that experience hunger or the risk of hunger. This represents approximately one
in ten households in the United States (10.7 percent). (Bread for the World
Institute - 2002)
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in five children (approximately 15
million) in our nation live at or below the poverty line. In 1997, nearly
two-thirds of poor young children lived in working families and young child
poverty is growing fastest in the suburbs. In total, an alarming 22% of young
children in America live in poverty.
Children who are denied an adequate diet are at a greater risk than other low
income children of not reaching their full potential as individuals. Children
who are undernourished have trouble concentrating and bonding with other
children and are more likely to suffer illnesses that force them to be absent
from school. They consistently perform more poorly on standardized tests. Poor
performance early in school is a major risk factor for dropping out of school in
later years. According to labor statistics, educational attainment is perhaps
the greatest indicator of job and income mobility, so the impact of childhood
hunger can be lifelong. Studies have also shown time and time again that even
mildly undernourished children may potentially suffer abnormal brain, cognitive,
and psychological impairment that, if not corrected, can be irreversible.
Children And Hunger: Hard Facts
10.5 percent of all U.S. households, representing 20 million adults and 13
million children, were "food insecure" because of lack of resources (U.S.
Census Bureau survey -2000)
Over 9 million children are the recipients of food from either a pantry,
kitchen or shelter. (America's Second Harvest - 2001)
22.2% of shelter clients indicated that their child/children was/were hungry at
least once during the previous 12 months but couldn't afford more food.
(America's Second Harvest - 2001)
Between 2000 and 2001, requests for emergency food assistance increased by an
average of 23% in American cities, with 54% of requests coming from families
with children. (U.S. Conference of Mayors)
One.org -- Posted by Raleighgirl on 05-28-05 11:52
So, help do something about it! Go to one.org and sign the
petition to let our elected "representatives" know how you feel
about it!
Raleighgirl
Re: One.org -- Posted by BJ in Texas on 05-31-05 05:18
Raleighgirl wrote:
|| So, help do something about it! Go to one.org and sign the
|| petition to let our elected "representatives" know how you
|| feel about it!
|| Raleighgirl
What the hell you talking about? You should of quoted some
of what your responding too for those of us that missed it.
BJ
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