Hunger in America?

[hfojvt]

Say it isn't so.

http://fourteenpercent.typepad.com/14/2009/11/still-hungry-ribs-is-still-touchin-my-chest.html

"The Department of Agriculture has just released a report entitled Household Food Security In The US, 2008, giving us a fresh snapshot of the past.

"Household Food Security" sounds more than a bit wonkish so, just to be clear, lets clarify that the report is studying hunger. And, if you're a devoted reader of 14%, its contents are not shocking.

While most people in this, the wealthiest country in the world, have no trouble feeding themselves, 14.6% of households--a total of 17 million--were food insecure (read: unable to eat) at some point during 2008. That figure is the highest it has been since the survey began in 1995. Among that group 6.7 million households had "very low food security," meaning that "food intake of some household members was reduced, and their normal eating patterns were disrupted.""

Summary of the report is here http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/ERR83/ERR83_ReportSummary.pdf

[Cleita]

1. Well, it's not because of lack of food. There's plenty. It's the lack of

money to buy it that is at the bottom of the problem. Look I lived in foreign countries where there were periodic lacks of food due to poor harvest, poor fishing and any other of many reasons that makes food scarce. In those places, it didn't matter how much money you had if there was nothing to buy. The fact that we have malnourished children and those who have to go hungry in the midst of supermarkets bursting at the seams with food speaks to the failure of capitalism, IMHO.

[Sinti]

2. +1 no question the system is broken

We do need to look at these things, as a nation, in order to recognize that we're trying to drag race our car and the brake lines have been cut.

[hfojvt]

3. and we throw away lots of food, some of it perfectly good

be nice to dig deeper. I may get around to reading the full report.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. Yep. I worked at a fast food place as a teen. At the end of the day we dumped lots of food into the

dumpster

[hfojvt]

4. yawn

no interest here?

[Truth2Tell]

6. I will K&R.

The foodbanks in my neck of the woods have never been more overburdened. It's getting bad.