USDA Releases Startling New Statistics on Hunger
The USDA reported that 49 million Americans, including nearly 17 million children, are food insecure. The new data reinforces recent findings from a research study conducted by Feeding America reflecting a dramatic increase in requests for emergency food assistance from food banks across the country.
The 2009 report on Household Food Insecurity in the United States shows an increase of 36 percent over the numbers released one year ago by the USDA, which found that 36.2 million American were at risk of hunger. “It is tragic that so many people in this nation of plenty don’t have access to adequate amounts of nutritious food,” said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America. Although these new numbers are staggering, it should be noted that these numbers reflect the state of the nation one year ago, in 2008. Since then, the economy has significantly weakened, and there are likely many more people struggling with hunger than this report states.
Escarra observes, “Our network food banks are calling us every day, telling us that demand for emergency food is higher than it has ever been in our history. Feeding America will continue to work closely with our partners at USDA to ensure that the public and charitable sectors are keeping pace—as best we can—with the dramatically increasing need for food assistance.”
The dramatic increase in food insecurity makes our mission more important than ever. With Child Nutrition Reauthorization around the corner, President Obama and Congress have a chance to make a real difference for millions of hungry Americans by strengthening child nutrition programs. It is up to the anti-hunger community to keep up the pressure on our elected officials and urge them to make ending hunger a priority.
You can use the Hunger Action Center to send a letter to President Obama and your Members of Congress. Just click here!
What Are You Doing for the Holidays?
Hunger in America 2010
Early next year, Feeding America will release its latest report studying hunger in America. It is the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind. Through face-to-face client interviews and surveys from local charitable agencies, Hunger in America 2010 will paint the big picture of hunger in our country. It will help us better understand the nature and incidence of hunger, and better address the burgeoning need. Be on the lookout for Hunger in America 2010!
What are you doing for the holidays? It’s a question we all ask as we prepare for those annual holiday dinners.
Yet the long lines at the food bank are a stark contrast to the cozy family dinners most of us picture when we think of the holidays. With 49 million Americans facing food insecurity, there will be many who won’t be able to put much on the table this holiday season.
Is there something you can do to make the holidays a little brighter for those in need? Absolutely they need your time!
Your local food banks are working hard to gear up for the holidays and the cold winter months ahead and they need your help! Just call your local food bank to find out how you can help in your community. They can use some of your time to help unload, organize, pack, and help serve the families who come for assistance.
And don’t forget, one important way you can help is to make sure your elected officials know that hunger relief is a priority for you during this holiday season.
Take a few minutes to send an email to your Members of Congress.
The next time someone asks what you’re doing for the holidays, simply say, “I’m helping my local food bank!”
Legislative Update
Thank You to Those Who Took Action to Help End Childhood Hunger
We made a big splash last week as we got the message out to the White House and Congress that increased funding for child hunger programs is a priority for Americans! We’re pushing toward the President’s goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015 and need to continue to keep the pressure on Congress and the Obama Administration to make that goal a reality. Thanks to advocates like you, we sent approximately 2,600 letters to the White House and 8,000 letters to Congress asking for significant new investments in child hunger programs and quick action on Child Nutrition Reauthorization.
Throughout the weeks and months, we will continue to look to our grassroots advocates to help us send a message to our leaders in Washington—that it’s time to end childhood hunger in America once and for all.
Stay tuned to find out how you can make a real difference towards ending childhood hunger by raising your voice and advocating for anti-hunger programs.