Garden Harvest: Facts about Hunger
Hunger in the United States
On October 31, the Economic Research Service of the
United States Department of Agriculture released its
annual report on household food security for 2002.
It was no surprise given the recent increases in
poverty that hunger and food insecurity rose
for the third year in a row. (A food
insecure household is defined as a household which
faces limited or uncertain availability of food).
In 2002, 34.9 million
people lived in households that were food insecure,
1.26 million more people than in 2001. This number
includes 13.1 million children. The number of people
living in households where someone was hungry also
increased by 300,000 to 9.3 million. About 567,000
kids lived in homes where children were hungry,
100,000 more than the year before.
The report also takes a
closer look at who is likely to be food insecure.
Food insecurity rates were double the national
average among African-Americans and Hispanics -- 22
percent for African-American and 21.7 percent for
Hispanic households. Central cities and rural areas
had more households with food insecurity than other
areas, at 14.4 percent and 11.6 percent
respectively. Six states had food insecurity rates
of more than 14 percent of their households -- Utah,
Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, New Mexico and
Oklahoma
For more information on
this report,
click here.
Increase in Demand for Food Stamps
- Following years of decline, participation in
the food stamp program has been on the rise over the past two years.
In August 2003, over 22 million people participated in the food
stamp program.
- While it is not possible to determine what
caused the increase in participation from the data available, the
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities argues it is likely that the
majority of the increase can be attributed to the economic downturn.
Due to loss of employment and income, more families probably became
eligible for the food stamp program.
Charities are overwhelmed with requests for
food, especially from working people.
- The U.S. Conference of Mayors reports that
in 2002 requests for emergency food assistance increased an average
of 19 percent. The study also found that 48 percent of those
requesting emergency food assistance were members of families with
children and that 38 percent of adults requesting such assistance
were employed. High housing costs, low-paying jobs, unemployment,
and the economic downturn led the list of reasons contributing to
the rise.
- Just over half the cities surveyed in the
Mayors' report said they are not able to provide an adequate
quantity of food to those in need. And nearly two-thirds of the
cities reported they had to decrease the quantity of food provided
and/or the number of times people can come to get food assistance.
An average of 16 percent of the demand for emergency food assistance
is estimated to have gone unmet in the survey cities.
-
America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest
network of food banks, reports that 23.3 million people turned to
the agencies they serve in 2001, an increase of over 2 million since
1997. Forty percent were from working families.
Portions reprinted from
Bread For
the World
Sources:
“Household Food Security in the United States, 2002.” ERS Research
Briefs.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/fanrr35/fanrr35.pdf
back to facts
Food Stamp Caseloads are Rising, Joseph
Llobrera, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities,
November, 19, 2002.
http://www.cbpp.org/1-15-02fa.htm
back to facts
A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in
America's Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors,
December 2002.
http://www.usmayors.org/uscm/news/press_releases
/documents/hunger_121802.asp
back to facts
“Food Stamp Program Monthly Data.” Food and
Nutrition Service Department of Agriculture. 28
October 2003.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/fsmonthly
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