Hunger’s Hold on America

The Food Research & Action Center, a Washington-based organization devoted to eradicating domestic hunger and undernutrition, estimates that one in eight American youngsters under age 12 goes hungry at some point each month. The organization defines hunger as the mental and physical condition that comes from not eating enough food because of insufficient resources. Another 6 million under age 12 are at risk of hunger because of family food shortages.

CALIFORNIA 14TH-HUNGRIEST...

The highest percentage of hungry: Mississippi: 19.86% New Mexico: 18.77% Louisiana: 15.92% Alabama: 15.75% Kentucky: 15.75% D.C.: 15.58% West Virginia: 15.00% Texas: 14.66% Arkansas: 14.49% Georgia: 14.41% Oklahoma: 14.24% South Carolina: 13.74% Indiana: 13.15% California: 13.15% Tennessee: 12.99% Montana: 12.90% Florida: 12.90% New York: 12.82% Missouri: 12.4% Arizona: 12.4%

SOUTH STRUGGLES THE MOST...

The percentage of people in each region described as hungry in 1991 by Tufts University Center on Hunger, Poverty and Nutritional Policy:

Number Percentage Region Population Hungry Hungry West Region 54,061,000 6,482,000 11.99% Midwest Region 60,226,000 6,676,000 11.08% Northeast Region 50,977,000 5,198,000 10.20% South Region 86,917,000 11,676,000 13.43%

CITIES COMING UP SHORT...

Percentage of cities in which demand for food increased:

‘92: 96%

Percentage of cities in which food assistance facilities must turn people away:

‘92: 68%

Percentage where demand for emergency food is unmet:

‘92: 21%

AND DEMAND SOARS...

Percentage increase in demand for emergency food in 11 selected cities in 1992 over 1991. Philadelphia: 60% Miami: 40% Los Angeles: 38% San Francisco: 38% New York: 25% Boston: 20% New Orleans: 20% Louisville: 5% Minneapolis: 5% Seattle: 5% Chicago: 3%

IN COMPARISON TO NON-HUNGRY CHILDREN, HUNGRY CHILDREN ARE:

* more than twice as likely to have frequent headaches

* more than 11 times as likely to report dizziness

* more than four times as likely to suffer from fatigue

* almost three times as likely to suffer from concentration problems

* almost three times as likely to suffer from irritability

* almost twice as likely to have frequent ear infections

* almost twice as likely to have frequent colds

HOW TO HELP:

For information on how to donate food locally, contact a local shelter, soup kitchen or food bank. Or call Second Harvest, 800-532-FOOD

Sources: Tufts University Center on Hunger, Poverty & Nutritional Policy; U.S. Conference of Mayors Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America’s Cities; Food Research and Action Center, Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project, 1991