A hungry man is not a free man.- Adlai E. Stevenson
Whether you see it or not, hunger is everywhere. From cities to rural towns, hunger exists in every county in the U.S. today.
Even in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, 1 in 7 American households face food insecurity every day, including 47 million people and 14 million children who struggle with not having enough food to eat or access to healthy, nutritious food. With the rising cost of food and housing, on top of additional living expenses like healthcare and insurance, millions are barely making ends meet.
According to recent Bank of America surveys, “the share of consumers who said they lived from paycheck to paycheck has gradually risen, from about 35% in early 2022 to 47% in the third quarter of 2024.”
Unfortunately there are many misconceptions about hunger that drive people to avoid the matter. But hunger isn’t just a global issue, it’s in your own neighborhoods and community too. It’s with advocacy, education, and action that we end the fight against hunger and bring more meals to the plates of those who need it most.
Now, let’s demystify some of those misconceptions about hunger and how it exists in the U.S.
Myth #1: Hunger Only Affects the Homeless
Many people still believe that homelessness and hunger are mutually exclusive to each other, but this is not the case. You don’t have to be homeless or unemployed to experience hunger. In fact, most people who are facing food insecurity are housed.
In 2022 more than 50% of households that experienced food insecurity had one or more full-time working adults.
It’s true that poverty, unemployment, and low wages are the main contributors to hunger and food insecurity. The reality is, last year 36.8 million people lived below the poverty line in the U.S. With an estimated 18 million Americans laid off annually, jobs, benefits, and paychecks aren’t always guaranteed. Even so, as food prices increase, paychecks don’t. That leaves millions of families to make the impossible choice between putting food on the table or paying the bills.
Myth #2: Food Assistance Programs Are Misused
In 2023, 47 million Americans experienced food insecurity, but only 42 million people used government assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Still, there’s a widespread belief that people are taking advantage and misusing these food assistance programs.
Over 40% of SNAP participants are children.
Much of this comes from inaccurate reports of immigrants taking advantage of food stamps. In reality, undocumented immigrants have never been eligible for SNAP benefits. What’s more, documented immigrants are only eligible for assistance after 5 years of living in the U.S. and they make up fewer than 1 in 20 SNAP participants.
It’s not that easy to misuse the system because not everyone is eligible for assistance, regardless of income. Factors such as citizenship status, transportation, eligibility requirements, and an extensive application process play a role in whether or not people can receive support. Without these programs, millions of families would be unable to put food on the table.
Myth #3: There’s not enough food to feed everyone
This may be surprising but hunger isn’t an issue that has no means to an end. It’s actually quite the opposite, and there’s so much that can be done. Even though hunger is a complex issue, it’s solvable through increasing access to grocery stores, improving wages, reducing food waste and the need for emergency assistance that food banks provide. There is food, it’s just about getting it out of landfills and onto plates.
Did you know that 38% of food grown, processed, and transported in the U.S. goes to waste?
It’s hard to believe, but food is being wasted at every level of the supply chain. Americans throw away over 90 billion lbs of food annually, which is equal to 100 billion meals. This is more than enough food to feed every food insecure individual in America three meals a day.
In New Jersey alone, there were 812,440 people experiencing food insecurity in 2021. As a hub for food and agriculture industries, there’s enough food produced in the Garden state to meet food insecurity needs. Yet the state continues to experience sustained high food insecurity rates.
By implementing broader solutions such as Food Recovery Programs, ReFed believes we could save 1.8 billion meals and feed them to people in need. Whether it’s donating your nonperishables to your local food bank or hosting a hunger fighting event, there are ways you can make a difference in your community. Everyone can help fight hunger because every bit counts.
Myth #4: Malnourishment always looks the same.
When you picture hunger, there may be an image that comes to mind. However, hunger isn’t only about lack of food, in fact, it’s different for every person experiencing it. Sometimes food insecurity is a result of living in a food desert, mental health, or financial circumstances.
In food deserts, families and individuals are without or have limited access to healthy, fresh produce. These communities exist in urban and rural areas can be defined as, “an area where more than 30% of residents live in poverty and are located at least a 1/2 mile away from a supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store.”
This leads them to opt for items that are cheaper, pre-packaged, and/or less nutritious. Without a nourishing diet, stable healthcare, and regular exercise, research shows that food insecure individuals are at higher risk of obesity.
Hunger in America is the highest it’s been since 2014.
Advocacy is the first step to becoming a part of the solution. Join the fight against hunger and help raise awareness about food insecurity across the country. From donating to your local food banks to holding your own fundraiser, there are so many ways to get involved with Move For Hunger.
Learn more ways to bring hunger relief to your neighborhood.
