America's Shame, Child Hunger Increased 50 Percent

Don't get it twisted, America is one of the richest countries on earth. Even as our financial meltdown accelerates, the global markets follow us. Our dollar is getting stronger as the greenback is still popular in a time of global instability. And yet, we as a nation, do not make feeding each and every child who lives here a priority. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):

Children as well as adults experienced instances of very low food security in 323,000 households (0.8 percent of households with children) in 2007, up from 221,000 households (0.6 percent of households with children) in 2006.

Now 323,000 families may not seem like a big number to you, but it does to me. That translates into almost 700,000 kids. I would argue that there is simply no excuse for children going hungry for lack of access to food in this food rich nation. I want our government (yes, I want government involvement here) to make sure food banks have a ready pipeline to food! We can spend $300 billion on Wall Street banks, with virtually no oversight or accountability, but we cannot fund and fill food banks?

Single mothers, blacks, Latinos and poor people are hit the hardest:

The families with the highest rates of food insecurity were headed by single mothers (30.2 percent), black households (22.2 percent), Hispanic households (20.1 percent), and households with incomes below the official poverty line (37.7 percent).

States with families reporting the highest prevalence of food insecurity during 2005-2007 were Mississippi (17.4 percent), New Mexico (15 percent), Texas (14.8 percent) and Arkansas (14.4 percent).

The highest growth in food insecurity over the last 9 years came in Alaska and Iowa, both of which saw a 3.7 percent increase in families who struggled to eat adequately or had substantial food disruptions.

Ninety-three percent reported eating less than they felt they should because there was not enough money for food.

Sixty-five percent of respondents reported that they had been hungry but did not eat because they could not afford enough food.

Forty-five percent of respondents reported having lost weight because they did not have enough money for food.

It is an outrage. But you CAN help. Please donate, share whatever you can.

Feeding American - right now Kraft will match your gift. Every dollar donated means 16 bowls of food for children and families.

Our Lens Sept. 1

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Spencer Platt, Getty Images

People standing near the grave of Senator Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY) look at the grave of Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) at Arlington National Cemetery August 30, in Arlington, Virginia. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) was buried yesterday next to his brothers President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY) after he died of brain cancer on August 25.

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US President Barack Obama takes out his daughters Malia (R) and Sasha (2nd L) and niece Suhaila Ng (L) to shop in the Alleys general store on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, on August 30, 2009.

Jewel Samad, AFP/ Getty Images

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