Hunger Facts About Children

Here are some concerning facts about hunger in the lives of our children from the website for Feeding America:

According to the USDA, over 17 million children lived in food insecure (low food security and very low food security) households in 2009. Proper nutrition is vital to the growth and development of children, particularly for low-income children.
62 percent of all client households with children under the age of 18 participated in a school lunch program, but only 14 percent participated in a summer feeding program that provides free food when school is out.
15.5 million or approximately 20.7 percent of children in the U.S. live in poverty.
Research indicates that even mild undernutrition experienced by young children during critical periods of growth impacts the behavior of children, their school performance, and their overall cognitive development.
During the 2009 federal fiscal year, 19.5 million low-income children received free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program.Unfortunately, just 2.2 million of these same income-eligible children participated in the Summer Food Service Program that same year.

(To read more, go to www.feedingamerica.org)