Eng 115
Assignment 2.2: The Public Needs to Know – 49 Million People are Experiencing Hunger in America
Lisa Jenkins
Strayer University
ENG 115
Amy Sloan
The economic conditions surrounding our food pantries today are that the demand from patrons experiencing food insecurity has risen dramatically, while donations from outside sources are lessening. Other factors include the increasingly higher cost of fuel and food, a change in desire for fresh foods versus canned, the ability to store these types of foods and the willingness for enough volunteers to lend a hand. Food pantries depend on a large amount of donations from large food chains and manufacturers. These types of donations are decreasing due to new technologies in the industry that help optimize productions, therefore lessening the amount of product that is overproduced. According to Feeding America, “Hunger in America exists for nearly 49 million people. That is one in six of the U.S. population – including more than one in five children.” (http://feedingamerica.org 2012) The USDA reports that 1 in 4 Americans access programs that provide food assistance through the federal government. (www.USDA.gov 2012 p. 1)The unemployment rate for 2011 was 8.9%, a small decrease from previous years. (www.USDA.gov 2012 p. 5) It appears that the economy of America is not improving. Food assistance is no longer only for the homeless and unemployed. A majority of patrons receiving food assistance from food pantries report that at least one adult is employed in the household. Food insecurity does not only exist in the suburbs anymore. Growing populations of those in need of food assistance live in rural areas and do not always have access to food pantries. Food insecurity is growing expeditiously in the U.S. and currently exists in every county in America. More women, children and elderly are experiencing food insecurity than ever before. The patrons of food pantries are no longer visiting only in emergency
Lisa Jenkins
Strayer University
ENG 115
Amy Sloan
The economic conditions surrounding our food pantries today are that the demand from patrons experiencing food insecurity has risen dramatically, while donations from outside sources are lessening. Other factors include the increasingly higher cost of fuel and food, a change in desire for fresh foods versus canned, the ability to store these types of foods and the willingness for enough volunteers to lend a hand. Food pantries depend on a large amount of donations from large food chains and manufacturers. These types of donations are decreasing due to new technologies in the industry that help optimize productions, therefore lessening the amount of product that is overproduced. According to Feeding America, “Hunger in America exists for nearly 49 million people. That is one in six of the U.S. population – including more than one in five children.” (http://feedingamerica.org 2012) The USDA reports that 1 in 4 Americans access programs that provide food assistance through the federal government. (www.USDA.gov 2012 p. 1)The unemployment rate for 2011 was 8.9%, a small decrease from previous years. (www.USDA.gov 2012 p. 5) It appears that the economy of America is not improving. Food assistance is no longer only for the homeless and unemployed. A majority of patrons receiving food assistance from food pantries report that at least one adult is employed in the household. Food insecurity does not only exist in the suburbs anymore. Growing populations of those in need of food assistance live in rural areas and do not always have access to food pantries. Food insecurity is growing expeditiously in the U.S. and currently exists in every county in America. More women, children and elderly are experiencing food insecurity than ever before. The patrons of food pantries are no longer visiting only in emergency