Hunger in America

Introduction

World Hunger has been, and will be a devastating and undesirable issue for the years to come. Here in the United States we live in a society that is largely overweight and obese. These types of problems develop because Americans have easy access to large portions of food. Drive-up windows to fast food restaurants are commonly the solution to a quick and easy dinner for a mother that has been at work all day. As Americans we are not prone to world hunger like most of the rest of the third world countries are. They do not have the capabilities of accessing food like we do in our country. This is why hunger is not as big as an issue in America as it is in other countries around the world.

The government in the United States is set up so that most people won't go hungry or starving. If you are one who lives in the Unites States there is really no logical reason to hunger or becoming homeless and starving. It's probably your fault if you do in fact starve. Here in the U.S, Food stamps are available for lower income family's to help them purchase food and groceries. Commodities are also available for the elderly. These commodities are the basic foods to keep people from starving or going hungry. There are also non-government organizations, such as the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and church groups who provide assistance to those who are in need of food.

An In-Depth Look

Despite America's great wealth, there are still millions of Americans who are classified by government statistics as "food insecure." More than seven million people use emergency food assistance every week. This paradox of hunger amid plenty is a threat to our nation's prosperity and our collective well-being.

Hunger in America 2009 is the third in a series of studies that Mathematica has conducted for Feeding America, formerly known as America's Second Harvest—the Nation's Food Bank Network.

This $2.3 million study is providing important information on the demographics, household makeup, and economic status, both on the local and national level, of individuals and households receiving food assistance. Interviews have been conducted with approximately 62,000 individuals receiving food assistance. In order to assess the capacity of the charitable food distribution system to meet the needs of these individuals, the study includes a census of agencies providing emergency food (pantries, kitchens, and shelters) affiliated with 185 food banks. Almost 80 percent of eligible agencies completed a questionnaire.

Findings will be presented in a national report, local reports for participating food banks, and state reports for 42 states with full participation of all food banks.

In 2006, Mathematica completed the largest and most comprehensive examination to date of Americans who seek emergency food relief and the charitable network that serves them. Findings from the 2006 survey include:

•More than 25 million low-income people received emergency food assistance through Second Harvest's network in 2006.

•Recipients represented a broad cross-section of America. Nearly two-thirds were women, more than ...