Many times, hunger in the U.S. is not something you can see. Most people cannot tell if someone has enough to eat by looking at them. But it is very likely that you’ve had a recent interaction with someone who was hungry. Why? Because it’s more prevalent than you think. Here are five surprising facts about hunger in America.
1 in 5 American kids doesn’t have enough food and doesn’t know where their next meal will come from. That’s about 13 million children in the U.S. who experience hunger. The USDA’s latest numbers show food insecurity has risen dramatically to 12.8% of households facing hunger in 2022, up from 10.2% from the year before. It’s the largest increase since 2008.
More than 22 million U.S. households use SNAP benefits to help with food costs, as of April 2023. Sometimes known as “food stamps,” SNAP is the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. People who receive SNAP benefits can use it to buy groceries, seeds, and plants for food. SNAP cannot be used to purchase hot food or household items like cleaning supplies, vitamins, or diapers. Approximately 92% of SNAP benefits go to households with incomes at or below the poverty line.
Almost 17% of children in the U.S. live in poverty, according to the Census Bureau. To put that in perspective, that’s one in six children who live in poverty. Rates vary by state, ranging from 8.1% to 27.7%. Kids who live in poverty are more likely to experience hunger.
Knowing the facts about hunger will help us work towards a solution together. Your support of Feed the Children brings food and essentials to those who need them the most, and it’s a key element in making sure no child goes to be hungry.
