Child Hunger Is Exploding...........

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by michiganmoon

I've seen TV ads, heard radio ads, and even saw a highway billboard that roughly claimed that 1 out of 6 American kids go hungry. Sometimes I see it as 1 out of 5.

I believe this to be dubious.

They simply take America's poverty rate (1/6th) and assume that A) kids make up a roughly equal representation of this and B) everyone in poverty is going hungry.

#1 There are many government programs from welfare, to food stamps, to WIC, to Unemployment, to Free or Reduced school Breakfast AND Lunch (Half of the kids in Michigan Qualify for free or reduced lunch so access isn't hard), to Free School Summer Lunch programs in urban areas, local charities and churches helping with food pantries, and etc... Which is perhaps why:

#2 Per the 2010 Census more than 80% of the people living in poverty self-reported that they never had to go hungry during the past year.

This is not to say that no one goes hungry... I just don't believe the raw numbers of 1/5th to 1/6th of kids are going hungry.

I regularly went hungry when I was a kid, by first grade I was severely underweight.

[michiganmoon]

Originally Posted by freemkt

I regularly went hungry when I was a kid, by first grade I was severely underweight.

Please reread my post:

I've seen TV ads, heard radio ads, and even saw a highway billboard that roughly claimed that 1 out of 6 American kids go hungry. Sometimes I see it as 1 out of 5.

I believe this to be dubious.

They simply take America's poverty rate (1/6th) and assume that A) kids make up a roughly equal representation of this and B) everyone in poverty is going hungry.

#1 There are many government programs from welfare, to food stamps, to WIC, to Unemployment, to Free or Reduced school Breakfast AND Lunch (Half of the kids in Michigan Qualify for free or reduced lunch so access isn't hard), to Free School Summer Lunch programs in urban areas, local charities and churches helping with food pantries, and etc... Which is perhaps why:

#2 Per the 2010 Census more than 80% of the people living in poverty self-reported that they never had to go hungry during the past year.

This is not to say that no one goes hungry... I just don't believe the raw numbers of 1/5th to 1/6th of kids are going hungry.

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by Swack

jm, it is pretty much sensationalism. In America it is relatively easy to feed yourself. There is an ongoing joke that says America has the most overweight homeless population in the world. It is rare for a child to starve from "being poor." Most kids who starve have parents who have not sought out appropriate help and resources.

It is as poppysead noted. Healthy kids who starve usually have parents who are socially unfit (i.e. drug users) or even mentally unstable. There are also parents who intentionally starve their kids. Both cases are considered forms of child abuse and in our country swift actions are taken once these are uncovered.

Hunger has its consequences on our economy and our children. Please go to a local food bank
before making such quick, uninformed and callous conclusions and explanations.
You have one post below who went hungry and another who makes a valid point.

Originally Posted by pghquest

Saying 1 in 3 is obese, doesnt exclude the other 2 from the possibility of being hungry.

Originally Posted by freemkt

I regularly went hungry when I was a kid, by first grade I was severely underweight.

For a more complete analysis of the problem check the website below and/or watch the film.
A Place at the Table