http://www.solcomhouse.com/hunger.htm
Every parent knows that a hungry child is a disadvantaged child. He can't grow, develop and learn like other kids. She has trouble focusing and getting along. They complain often of headaches, stomachaches and other ailments. They fall behind in virtually every way. It is terrible many children go hungry for days. My heart and soul pour out to them.The problem of childhood hunger is not simply a moral issue. Child hunger hampers a young person's ability to learn and becomes more likely to suffer from poverty as an adult. Scientific evidence suggests that hungry children are less likely to become productive citizens. I never experienced going through this situation. As I research about hunger in America, I see how many children are in so much need for food. The signs and symptoms of malnutrition (hunger) depend on which nutritional deficiencies a person has, although they can include:
- fatigue and low energy
- dizziness
- poor immune function (which can hamper the body's ability to fight off infections)
- dry, scaly skin
- swollen and bleeding gums
- decaying teeth
- slowed reaction times and trouble paying attention
- underweight
- poor growth
- muscle weakness
- bloated stomach
- osteoporosis, or fragile bones that break easily
- problems with organ function
- problems learning
Facts of Child Hunger in America
- Nearly 14 million children are estimated to be served by Feeding America, over 3 million of which are ages 5 and under.i
- According to the USDA, over 17 million children lived in food insecure (low food security and very low food security) households in 2009.
- 20% or more of the child population in 16 states and D.C. are living in food insecure households. The states of Arkansas (24.4 percent) and Texas (24.3 percent) have the highest rates of children in households without consistent access to food.
- The top five states with the highest rate of food insecure children under 18 are Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, Missouri, Mississippi, as well as the District of Columbia
- 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.
- 54 percent of client households with children under the age of 3 participated in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
- 32 percent of pantries, 42 percent of kitchens, and 18 percent of shelters in the Feeding America network reported "many more children in the summer" being served by their programs.
- Emergency food assistance plays a vital role in the lives of low-income families. In 2002, more than half of the nonelderly families that accessed a food pantry at least once during the year had children under the age of 18.
- 15.5 million or approximately 20.7 percent of children in the U.S. live in poverty.
- Research indicates that even mild under nutrition experienced by young children during critical periods of growth impacts the behavior of children, their school performance, and their overall cognitive development.
- In fiscal year 2009, 48 percent of all SNAP participants were children.
- 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.
America's Children Fund is a great sponsor for feeding children. This is a great organization that reaches out to the public.
Website: http://www.americaschildrenshunger.org/
Hunger in Africa
Hunger in Africa is one of the greatest problems that the continent faces in the 21st century. A combination of a poor economy, damaged farmland and questionable leadership has resulted in a large swath of the nations throughout Africa to suffer from hunger. There are a number of organizations that attempt to address these issues, however, the need is greater than the available resources.
http://www.wfp.org/
In many parts of Africa, the production of food depends upon the intense manual labor of each family. When large areas of Africa are dislocated by war especially southern Sudan where a war of ethnic cleansing is being waged, or adults die from the scourge of AIDS, fields cannot be worked, and food cannot be produced. Many, especially women and children are forced to depend upon hand outs of food. Unpredictable weather can also aggravate the situation. The cycle of hunger in sub-Saharan Africa begins and ends with poverty-the inability to grow or purchase food causes malnutrition and poor health, which in turn leads to the inability to earn income and to deeper poverty. It is estimated that one in three Africans are undernourished. To break this cycle, African leaders have recognized that increased economic growth, driven by agriculture, is essential.
http://www.worldhunger.org/africa.htm
