Hunger Facts

What is Hunger? Food Insecurity?

• Hunger is the physical sensation that results from not having enough food to eat. However, when talking about “hunger in America,” what is often meant is more accurately called “food insecurity.” Source

  • 6.9% of U.S. households are at risk of hunger. Members of these households have lower quality diets or must resort to seeking emergency food because they cannot always afford the food they need. 24.4 million people, including12.2 million children, live in these homes. Source
    
    
  • Research shows that preschool and school-aged children who experience severe hunger have higher levels of chronic illness, anxiety and depression, and behavior problems than children with no hunger. Source
    
    
    

• Food insecurity is defined as a lack of access to enough food to fully meet basic needs due to lack of financial resources (National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness). Source

  • The number of people in the United States that are food insecure is over 33 million. Source
    
    
  • 7.2% or 14,900 of Arlington County is food insecure. Source

Hunger Related Resources

• National Reports:

  • Feeding America
    http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap.aspx
    
    
  • A status report on hunger and homelessness in America's cities by the United States Conference of Mayors.
    
    
    

• Just for kids!

  • United Nations World Food Programme - play a game about rice
    
    
• Kids Can Make a Difference - video, hunger quiz, suggested books on hunger

 

• Resources for Teachers/Parents

  • Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger: http://www.feedingminds.org/fmfh/hunger-and-malnutrition/introduction/en/ (Provides activities for primary, intermediate, and secondary level)
    
    
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: http://www.fao.org/righttofood/kc/eresources_en.htm (Education Resources: Facts about Hunger/Poverty, Maps, Mini-Lesson Presentation)
    
    
  • Kids Can Make a Difference:
    http://www.kidscanmakeadifference.org/
    
    
  • The Gateway to 21st Century Skills:
    http://thegateway.org/ (Browse "Hunger")
    
    
  • United Nations World Food Programme:
    http://www.wfp.org/ (Scroll down to find resources for teacher and students. There is a reading list found on the “Universities” page.)
    
    
  • Utah Education Center: http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=1271 ( Website gives good facts to teachers about hunger before they introduce the different activities relating to hunger in their classrooms. Scroll down and you will find the activities)
    
    
  • World Food Day USA: http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/CMS/2952/11564.aspx
    
    
  • World Hunger Year:
    http://www.whyhunger.org/index.php

    (Website is good for teachers because of the facts they provide, they also provide a reading list for adults. You go to “Resources” and then “Reading List”)

• Fruits & Veggies More Matters

• A nonprofit organization designed to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables to 5 or more servings a day to improve health of Americans.
• http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/
  

 

• USDA MyPlate
  • MyPlate.gov
  • Featuring information on the new food plate, online tools, and dietary guidelines.

 

• Christian anti-hunger websites with information on involving congregations in hunger relief efforts.

  • The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee: http://www.crcna.org/pages/crwrc_whresources.cfm

    (Scroll down all the way to “Youth Services”)

  • Church World Service: http://www.churchworldservice.org

  • Bread for the World: http://www.bread.org/hunger-no-more/children-and-youth.html (Activities for children and youth)
    
  • Food for the Hungry: http://www.fh.org

 

• Books:
  • The Greatest Table: A banquet to Fight Against World Hunger (Fiction) Michael J. Rosen. Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994. Ages 4-8.
    This twelve-foot-long accordion book simply tells of food, community, and the responsibility we all share to bring those in need to join us at the greatest table, where all of humanity breaks bread and shares in the joys of food.

 

 

Other Statistics about Arlington County, Virginia