Keyword Sponsor Donor Program

“Our lives are to be used and thus to be lived as fully as possible, and truly it seems that we are never so alive as when we concern ourselves with other people.” - Harry Chapin

Working Poor
Distribution
Quality vs. Quantity
Food Stamp Program
Geography of the Hungry


After four years of economic recovery, the nation's poverty rate has not improved. Currently, 37 million people, nearly one out of every eight people in the U.S., are living below the federal poverty rate of $19,971 a year for a family of four. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006)

Child poverty in the United States is more than 2 to 3 times higher than most other developed countries. (Children's Defense Fund, 2006)

As of September 2006, the federal minimum wage has been at the same level ($5.15 an hour) for nine years, during which time the cost of living has risen by 26 percent. After adjusting for inflation, the value of the minimum wage is at its lowest level since 1955. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2006)

When people think of hunger they often refer to the familiar images of starving and severely malnourished children in the developing countries of Africa. Hunger, however, has a very pronounced presence in the United States as well, with over 35 million people experiencing hunger in the recent year. According to a December 2006 survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, an estimated 48 percent of those requesting emergency food assistance were either children or their parents. It is estimated that 13 million children are currently experiencing hunger, and a surprising percentage of them come from working families.

o Working Poor: One of the leading causes of hunger in America is not unemployment but low-paying jobs! America's Second Harvest reported that 36 percent of all households requesting emergency food assistance had one or more household members employed. So, why do people continue to go hungry, when by all accounts they are working? Recent studies have demonstrated that due to the increased cost of living and unchanging minimum wages even full-time working families cannot pull themselves out of poverty. 30% of people surveyed by America's Second Harvest were forced to choose between buying food and paying for medical care. Families forced to pay medical bills, rent, and buy gas to get to work, compromise groceries, going to bed without food because there is none in the house. These are the faces of America's hungry.

o Distribution: While the United States is a major producer of food, it is not evenly distributed to each region and household. Food banks, community centers, and faith-based organizations have intervened in astonishing numbers to fill in where the government cannot meet the needs of the community. However, these organizations are reliant upon their own fundraising efforts marketing strategies to appropriate the funds necessary to remain in business. The more successful they are in these departments, the greater the impact on their community. Rural based food support networks tend to have greater problems meeting this challenge than urban-based centers.

Within households there are also factors that may affect equitable and adequate access to food by all members of that household. The head of the household may have more power in determining the use of food resources and may misappropriate it. This may deprive members of the household (i.e., women and children) from getting an equitable share. This is especially pronounced in families where alcoholism and drug use are prevalent. Funds that should be appropriated for the purchase of food for the family may be instead used for the fulfillment of drug habits.

o Quantity vs. Quality: Healthy food is expensive, especially if you work at a minimum wage job, which is still $5.15 per hour; that's $10,300 a year for a full-time job. So, an additional challenge is not just the quantity of food, but amount of nutritious food that an individual has access to. When it comes to food, low-cost items tend to be high in fat and low in nutritional content.

Additionally, grocery stores and farmers markets are scarcer in low-income areas, and typically offer poorer selection of quality foods. Transportation to grocery stores may also be limited for these people, forcing them to do more of their shopping at convenience stores, which primarily serve prepared foods.

o Food Stamp Program: Food stamp benefits average $92.70 per person per month, a sum that is calculated using the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan. The plan was initially developed for emergency use during the Great Depression and never intended to be used for indefinite periods. Yet, the Food Stamp Program is the largest and fastest growing national nutrition program, with an increase of participation by almost 50% since 2000. The increase has been mostly caused by the increasing difficulty for low-income households to meet basic needs. However, benefits are so low, providing 79 cents per person per meal, on average, it is very difficult for individuals to purchase an adequate supply of nutritious food over the longer term. A recent study suggests that it would cost 30% more than the current Thrifty Food Plan allocates to meet the daily recommend diet as stated in the up-to-date Food Pyramid. Bread for the World further supported this claim in a report in 2006 that stated that most families cannot afford a healthy diet using food stamps. Instead they may be forced to purchase the cheapest foods available, which prevent hunger but generally contain few nutrients and too many calories. It is estimated that families need 200 percent of the poverty level to be able to meet the most basic level economic independence.

Even with the dramatic increases in participation in the food stamp program, many more Americans who are eligible to receive them still fail to do so. A poor understanding of the government assistance programs prevents many people from knowing they are eligible to receive these benefits. Other people may face other obstacles, such as cultural and language barriers that prevent their enrollment. Other times it may be an issue of pride that cause individuals to stray away from food stamps.

o Geography of the Hungry: The highest rates of poverty are found in Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta, and Indian reservations; Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota is the poorest community in the United States.