Hunger and food insecurity are surprisinly prevalent in the United States, especially among children!
"Food insecurity is limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways." (USDA)
In 2009, 15.5 million children under the age of 18 were in poverty. This is 20.7%.
In 2009, 50.2 million Americans lived in food insecure households. 17.2 million were children. Of the food insecure households, the households with children were twice as many as those without.
This means that about one in four American children live in food insecure households!
But, we can help!
"Food insecurity is limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways." (USDA)
In 2009, 15.5 million children under the age of 18 were in poverty. This is 20.7%.
In 2009, 50.2 million Americans lived in food insecure households. 17.2 million were children. Of the food insecure households, the households with children were twice as many as those without.
This means that about one in four American children live in food insecure households!
But, we can help!
Sources:
"ERS/USDA Briefing Room - Food Security in the United States: Measuring Household Food Security." USDA Economic Research Service - Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/foodsecurity/measurement.htm.
"Hunger Statistics, Hunger Facts & Poverty Facts | Feeding America." Feeding America: Hunger-Relief Charity | FeedingAmerica.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. http://feedingamerica.org/faces-of-hunger/hunger-101/hunger-and-poverty-statistics.aspx.
"ERS/USDA Briefing Room - Food Security in the United States: Measuring Household Food Security." USDA Economic Research Service - Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/foodsecurity/measurement.htm.
"Hunger Statistics, Hunger Facts & Poverty Facts | Feeding America." Feeding America: Hunger-Relief Charity | FeedingAmerica.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. http://feedingamerica.org/faces-of-hunger/hunger-101/hunger-and-poverty-statistics.aspx.
