Nationwide Statistics

• According to the 2008 annual USDA survey, there are 49 million food insecure individuals in the U.S.
• In 2008, 14 million (19%) children under the age of 18 were in poverty.
• In 2008, 3.6 million (9.7%) seniors 65 or older were in poverty.
• In 2008, 49.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 32.4 million adults and 16.7 children.
• In 2008, 14.6% of households (17.1 million households) were food insecure, an increase of 3.5% (4.1 million households) in 2007.
• In 2008, households with children reported food insecurity at almost double the rate for those without children, 21% compared to 11.3%.
• In 2008, 8.1% of households with seniors (2.3 million) accessed emergency food from a food pantry one or more times.
• In 2008, 55% of food insecure households participated in at least one of the three major federal food assistance programs.
• According to the USDA, an estimated 16.7 million children lived in food insecure households in 2008.
• Research indicates that even mild under nutrition experienced by a child during critical periods of growth impacts the behavior of children, their school performance and their overall cognitive development.
• In 2008 the prevalence of household food insecurity in suburban areas was 12.7% (6.1 million households) and the prevalence of very low food security was 5.1% (2.5 million households).
• The poverty rate for those living in suburban areas was 9.8% in 2008.
• According to the Hunger in America 2010 study there was a 50% increase in the amount of children served annually.
• There was a 64% increase in the number of households with seniors facing very low food security.
• There was a 59% increase in the number of households making the choice between purchasing food an paying for their rent or mortgage.
• There was a 64% increase in the number of households receiving SNAP benefits.
• 38% of an estimated 13.9 million people served by Feeding America are children under the age of 18. About 9% of an estimated 3.2 million are under age 5. Almost four out of every five food insecure households served by Feeding America have children under 18 living in them.
• Approximately 8% of Feeding America clients, or 2.9 million individuals, are over age 65.

Studies

• Hunger Study (Indiana)
• Hunger Study (National)
• Hunger Almanac
• Child Food Insecurity
• Child Food Insecurity: The Economic Impact on our Nation