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Press Releases
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As National Hunger Awareness Day Approaches,
13 Million Children Face Food Insecurity |
Washington, D.C. In recognition of National Hunger Awareness Day on June 3rd, the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) has joined a nationwide effort to bring attention to the critical issue of 34.9 million Americans who experience "food insecurity," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Today, CDF released a report on the effects of child hunger and food insecurity—the lack of consistent access to enough food to ensure active, healthy living. CDF's report finds that hunger is leaving many of America's children behind, with effects that range from health problems to academic achievement delays and social difficulties.
According to the most recent figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 13 million American children were food insecure in 2002; of these, 567,000 experienced food insecurity to such a degree that they went hungry.
"As the wealthiest nation in the world, it is outrageous that we have such high rates of food insecurity and hunger," said Deborah Cutler-Ortiz, Director of the Family Income & Jobs Division at CDF. "The tragedy of child hunger is the huge toll it exacts on both the child and on our nation as a whole. Children who come from food insecure homes or who are hungry are more likely to get sick, have problems in school, experience trouble getting along with their peers, and show higher levels of anxious behaviors. As these children mature into adulthood, our society will feel the effects of their deprivation in the form of higher rates of school failure, greater health care costs, and lost workforce productivity."
The recently released details of the President's 2005 budget proposal suggest that matters may only get worse. In many cases, programs that were spared from cuts in FY 2005 are cut in FY 2006, a pattern that will result in a reduction of much-needed services. In the President's proposal, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) would be cut by $122 million in FY 2006, an amount of money that is enough to provide WIC food benefits to more than 20,000 children for a year, according to CDF calculations. WIC is a cost-effective federally-funded preventive nutrition program that provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, and access to health care to low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children. Without this crucial assistance, low-income babies and children are at risk for the many negative health effects of malnutrition.
CDF is calling on the Bush Administration and Congress to expand food and nutrition programs and to invest in programs that provide economic supports for low-income families. "While millions of children in working families do not have enough to eat, the Administration wants to cut programs like WIC that provide a critical source of nutritious meals," said Cutler-Ortiz. "Now is not the time to pull the rug out from under families who need not only food assistance but help in being able to afford other basic necessities of life such as housing and medical coverage. On National Hunger Awareness Day, we call on President Bush to commit the resources needed to ensure that no American child goes to bed hungry at night."
To engage in activities around hunger awareness day, go to America's Second Harvest Web site at http://www.secondharvest.org/.
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Full Report:
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The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. CDF provides a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investment before they get sick, into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown. CDF began in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit organization supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations. We have never taken government funds. |
13 Million Children Face Food Insecurity