Hunger in America
According to Share our Strength, sixteen million children living in the United States do not know where their next meal will come from. The government implements many programs aimed at reducing food insecurity including the Food Stamp program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and the National School Lunch Program, among others. Unfortunately, simply receiving a meal—and over 20 million children get a free or reduced-priced school lunch each day—isn’t enough to quell the debate about what those meals should consist of.
While the U.S. does not lack for healthy food options, 15.7 million children live in poverty. For their families, affordability of processed foods, accessibility and insufficient cooking skills still pose significant challenges. Food deserts—a region where healthy and affordable food is difficult to access—limits nutritious choices. For some families, a gas station mini-mart is the closest food outlet for miles, and for many children, a school cafeteria is their only opportunity to receive a nutritious meal.
The Alliance to End Hunger // The Alliance to End Hunger develops innovative partnerships among our members; political commitment among our leaders; and global connections among groups working to end hunger worldwide. The Alliance has more than 75 members--corporations, non-profit groups, universities, individuals, and Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious bodies.
Community Food Security Coalition // The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a North American coalition of diverse people and organizations working from the local to international levels to build community food security.
Feeding America // Our mission is to feed America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger.
Food First // The Institute for Food and Development Policy/Food First shapes how people think by analyzing the root causes of global hunger, poverty, and ecological degradation and developing solutions in partnership with movements working for social change.
Food Recovery Network // In January of 2012, students from four colleges came together to create the Food Recovery Network, with a mission of creating food recovery programs on every college campus in the country.
Meals on Wheels Association of America // The Meals On Wheels Association of America is the oldest and largest national organization composed of and representing local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 U.S. states, as well as the U.S. Territories.
Share Our Strength // Share Our Strength’s goal is to end childhood hunger in America. Working with others, we believe we can do this by 2015. We measure our progress by measuring participation in effective, existing programs that provide nutritious food to children at home (SNAP, or food stamps, WIC, and nutrition education), during school (breakfast and lunch, and through nutrition education) and when school is out (afterschool snacks and summer meals).
We Can End This // WeCanEndThis.com is a yearlong initiative to shift the conversation about hunger in America and create real, tangible solutions.
WhyHunger // WhyHunger is a leader in building the movement to end hunger and poverty by connecting people to nutritious, affordable food and by supporting grassroots solutions that inspire self-reliance and community empowerment.