HUNGER and FOOD INSECURITY in America’s children? Sadly, yes! “Hunger” is a familiar term to everyone, but some don’t know the meaning of “food insecurity,” which is not having enough food or income to ensure a balanced diet. Although the economy is slowly crawling out of its dark pit, food banks are seeing more and more people coming to them for help. At the same time, donations of food are down.
And our children are suffering. A 2012 study by the USDA found 16 million food-insecure children in America, or 21.6% of our children. One in five kids has no idea where his next meal will come from. These youngsters were found in all U.S. communities and counties. (Use the interactive map at www.childhungerendshere.com/Html/realities-of-hunger-statistics.html to find out the number in your own community.)
How can young bodies grow and keep healthy without proper nutrition? How can young minds be nurtured if bodies are not fed? What hope do these children have of a reasonable, stable future?
This is a major problem, one we must ALL attack. School lunch programs are not enough, but we must support them whenever they’re in danger of being eliminated or reduced. We can give even a little bag of groceries each month to a food bank or food pantry. We can make sure the hungry kid who comes home from school with our child has a hearty snack with our kids. In other words, we can and must do small things for our smallest citizens and give them a chance to be kids today and happy, healthy adults in the future.
It’s our responsibility.