“More than 1 in 5 children live in food insecure households in the United States. Thought of as the only superpower in the world, yet we cannot feed and care for our most valuable asset - our youth.”
More than 15 million children in the United States live in food insecure homes. That phrase may sound mild, but it means that those families don't regularly have enough food to eat.
We believe hunger is a by-product, and has many root causes to why people are not afforded consistent food stuffs. We will give opportunity and hope to those at-risk youth through soft skill development, skill set training in the hospitality and technology industry, mentor-ship, and a way to create their own path built upon confidence and knowledge - centered around food.
Good nutrition, particularly in the first three years of life, is important in establishing a good foundation that has implications for a child’s future physical and mental health, academic achievement, and economic productivity.
Unfortunately, food insecurity is an obstacle that threatens that critical foundation. Nearly 15 million children under 18 in the United States live in households where they are unable to consistently access enough nutritious food necessary for a healthy life. Although food insecurity is harmful to any individual, it can be particularly devastating among children due to their increased vulnerability and the potential for long-term consequences.
The problem of child hunger is not simply a moral issue. Scientific evidence suggests that food insecure children are less likely to become productive citizens. Research has shown that food insecurity and hunger can pose serious threats to children’s health, growth, and development.
Proper nutrition is vital to the growth and development of children, particularly for low-income children. The nation’s economic growth depends on the well-being of our children. As such, the existence of child hunger in the United States threatens future American prosperity.
In 2006 the U.S. government replaced “hunger” with the term “food insecure” to describe any household where, at any time during the year, one or more people in the house did not have enough food to eat. Privately run programs like food pantries and soup kitchens have mushroomed as a response, yet still cannot hope to provide proper nutrition to those yearning to eat. in 1980 there were a few hundred emergency food programs across the country; today there are 50,000.
1 out of every 6 Americans have reported running out of food within the last year. In many European countries, by contrast, the number is closer to one in 20.
We believe hunger is a by-product, and has many root causes to why people are not afforded consistent food stuffs. We will give opportunity and hope to those at-risk youth through soft skill development, skill set training in the hospitality and technology industry, mentor-ship, and a way to create their own path built upon confidence and knowledge - centered around food.
Good nutrition, particularly in the first three years of life, is important in establishing a good foundation that has implications for a child’s future physical and mental health, academic achievement, and economic productivity.
Unfortunately, food insecurity is an obstacle that threatens that critical foundation. Nearly 15 million children under 18 in the United States live in households where they are unable to consistently access enough nutritious food necessary for a healthy life. Although food insecurity is harmful to any individual, it can be particularly devastating among children due to their increased vulnerability and the potential for long-term consequences.
The problem of child hunger is not simply a moral issue. Scientific evidence suggests that food insecure children are less likely to become productive citizens. Research has shown that food insecurity and hunger can pose serious threats to children’s health, growth, and development.
Proper nutrition is vital to the growth and development of children, particularly for low-income children. The nation’s economic growth depends on the well-being of our children. As such, the existence of child hunger in the United States threatens future American prosperity.
In 2006 the U.S. government replaced “hunger” with the term “food insecure” to describe any household where, at any time during the year, one or more people in the house did not have enough food to eat. Privately run programs like food pantries and soup kitchens have mushroomed as a response, yet still cannot hope to provide proper nutrition to those yearning to eat. in 1980 there were a few hundred emergency food programs across the country; today there are 50,000.
1 out of every 6 Americans have reported running out of food within the last year. In many European countries, by contrast, the number is closer to one in 20.
Some Quick Stats
- Kentucky ranks 4th highest in the nation for poverty.
- Kentucky ranks 17th in household food insecurity with a rate of 17.2%.*
- Kentucky ranks 28th in child food insecurity with a rate of 22.4%.*
- In Indiana, the 14.4% food insecurity rate is estimated to be 950,720 Hoosiers at risk of hunger.
- In Indiana, Child food insecurity numbers are estimated at 301,990, or 19.1%.
- In Indiana, County averages range from 12.6% in Hamilton County to several counties at or above 20%, with many counties nearing a quarter of children in the county being food insecure, including Fayette, Switzerland, Sullivan, and Wayne Counties at over 23%.
USDA Annual Report
Key Stats & Graphics
What is the definition of food insecurity?
The lack of access at times to enough food for an active, healthy life; limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods.