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Thursday, September 4th, 2014

Last Year, Millions of Americans Were Hungry. Then Congress Cut Food Stamps

Author:     DANIELLE KURTZLEBEN
Source:     Vox
Publication Date:     September 3, 2014, 8:57 p.m. ET
Link: Last Year, Millions of Americans Were Hungry. Then Congress Cut Food Stamps
Stephan:   As I am writing this Ronlyn is downstairs baking her bi-weekly 4 dozen organic treats for the children of South Whidbey who come from low income homes, usually single parent, usually mothers, or are homeless. She is one of 12 women who volunteer at their own expense to do this. And then there are other crews who make the meals and salads. And still more who work at the soup kitchen, the teen commons, the foodbank and its large organic garden. The community believes, as do I, that our local culture is better when everyone has enough nutritious food to eat. Unfortunately the Republican Party in the Congress has a rather different view. As a result, it is one of America's greatest shames that millions of our fellows including millions of children are often not sure where their next meal is coming from. Click through to see the charts.
Source: USDA

Source: USDA

In 2013, 17.5 million US households were what the US Department of Agriculture calls “food insecure,” according to a new report. That means that at some point last year, a lack of money made it difficult to buy food. Not only that, but 6.8 million households had “very low food security.” In those homes, “the food intake of some household members was reduced and normal eating patterns were disrupted at times during the year due to limited resources.”

“In 3 million households, adults reported losing weight due to lack of money for food”

Keep in mind that’s 6.8 million homes, not 6.8 million people. The number of people affected is even greater.

Of those very-low-food-security households, 97 percent reported that an adult cut down their meals or skipped meals altogether, and 87 percent said this had happened in at least three months of the year. Two-thirds of respondents said they had not eaten despite being hungry, and 45 percent reported losing weight due to lack of money for food. That comes out to […]

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