Data Shows Progress But U.S. Hunger Remains High
September 8. 2016
NEW YORK – The number of U.S. residents going hungry dropped last year, but food insecurity is still higher than 10 years ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The latest federal data shows a 13 percent decrease in food insecurity over the past year. That's six million fewer people who can't afford to put food on their tables.
According to Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, the numbers prove that public policies that create jobs and maintain the nutritional safety net can reduce hunger.
"But it also proves there's been no true recovery for the bellies of hungry Americans around the country because there's still 20 percent higher hunger than before the start of the recession," he states.
However, Berg says, there has been a significant reduction in childhood hunger nationwide, thanks to school and summer meal programs.
Hawaii showed the most improvement between 2010 and 2015, reducing low and very low food security by more than 4 percent.
And Berg says the data shows a few states have reduced hunger slightly below 2005 levels.
"Here in New York, unfortunately, we're still about 36 percent higher hunger than a decade ago,” he states. “So recent efforts by the governor have been helpful but we all need to do a heck of a lot more."
In April, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation raising the minimum wage in New York City to $15 an hour by 2018, and to $12.50 for the rest of the state by 2020.
Berg points out that states with the lowest wages tend to have the most food insecurity.
"Just raising the minimum wage alone, not spending a penny of taxpayer dollars, would significantly reduce huger in America,” he stresses. “We should do that immediately."
A report issued this week by the Century Foundation says increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2023 would reduce food insecurity nationally by 6.5 percent.