Statement attributed to Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America
Today, the USDA released data showing that food insecurity in the United States increased by 6% in 2023. We must not accept that 47.4 million people—1 in 7 people, including 1 in 5 children—experience food insecurity in the wealthiest nation in the world. These numbers support what we have been seeing at food banks, pantries and meal programs and what we have been hearing from people across the country who are confronted with the high prices of essentials like groceries and housing.
Hardworking community members experience food insecurity in every county or parish in this country and, perhaps surprisingly to some, they often remain optimistic about the future. Their optimism brings me hope. Feeding America’s Elevating Voices: Insights Report will be released on September 10 and it will show that people experiencing food insecurity want the same things we all want for ourselves—dignity; access to fresh, healthy food; improved health; and genuine opportunity for financial well-being. I know we can greatly reduce hunger in America by standing shoulder-to-shoulder with neighbors facing hunger and harnessing our collective power. We have done this before, and we can do it again. To build a food secure future for America, we must unite behind strong, common-sense policies that support families and federal nutrition programs and we must champion community organizations across the country that are working to break cycles that perpetuate hunger.
America is full of kind, generous people who do not stand by idly in the presence of hunger. We take action. Given the data released by the USDA today, we are all in the presence of hunger, seen or unseen, and the time to act is now.
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About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.3 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on X.com.