Who’s Going Hungry in America
In a land of plenty, 50 million Americans go hungry. That’s one in six households. Here in St. Louis, where NPF is training journalists on food and farm sustainability, it’s even higher – one in five.
*Nationwide, 26 percent of African-American households are food insecure, the government’s definition of hunger. Among Hispanics, it’s 23.7 percent.
*82 percent of food stamp benefits (SNAP) go to households with children, elderly or the disabled.
*Grandparent-headed households are three times as likely to be food insecure.
Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president of the AARP Foundation, talked about hunger and the myriad avenues to alleviate it. Encouraging seniors to move beyond the stigma of food stamps and apply for them. Working with partners like Meals On Wheels, LA Kitchen and Action for Boston Community Development. And associating the cost of hunger with down-stream health care costs, like diabetes and obesity.
This program is funded by Monsanto, Organic Trade Association, AARP Foundation, American Farm Bureau Federation. NPF is solely responsible for the content.