One in eight households in the District of Columbia struggled with hunger during the 2006-2008 period according to new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture[1]. Nationally, more than 49.1 million people lived in households that were food insecure– the federal government’s term for being hungry or at risk of hunger[2] in 2008 – up from 36.2 million in 2007.
Although hunger touches all types of people and households, the USDA report shows that food insecurity is especially prevalent among households with children headed by a single mother. Nationally, single mothers experience hunger at substantially higher rates than the national average (37.2% versus 14.6%). Further, the prevalence of very low food security is also much higher for these households than the national average (13.3% versus 5.7%).
Research[3] has shown that even a temporary increase in food insecurity can have a long-lasting and serious impact on the well-being and health of families and communities. Hungry children are more likely to miss school and struggle academically and are at greater risk of developmental deficiencies. Adults who struggle with hunger cannot concentrate, are less productive, and are at greater risk of illness and chronic disease.
Fortunately, federal nutrition programs such as the Food Stamp Program, free school breakfast and lunch, and WIC (women, infants, and children) are proven, readily-available solutions to combat hunger for these single-mother families and all hungry people in the District. These programs not only reduce food insecurity and hunger, but also improve nutrition, health, economic security, early childhood development, school achievement, and overall well-being.
Furthermore, the federal nutrition programs are, by and large, 100 percent federally-funded and, as entitlements (except WIC), are not subject to spending caps or limits on the number of participants. They are limited only by shortfalls by public agencies, schools, and nonprofits in using them. Federal nutrition program participation can grow to meet growing need when the economy gets worse. Indeed, as District unemployment rose from seven percent in July 2008 to 10.6 percent in July 2009, food stamp participation rose by nearly 18 percent (from 90,840 participants to 107,176 participants). The Food Stamp Program brought with it approximately $14 million in 100 percent federally-funded benefits just in the month of July 2009.
To increase support for hungry women and children, and to support all D.C. families, the District should do a better job in fully utilizing these federal nutrition programs. While the city should be commended for recent improvements, such as passing the Food Stamp Expansion Act of 2009 which boosts benefits and expands eligibility for the program, there is still much work to be done. For example, for every 100 children that eat free or reduced-price school lunch, only 50 also participate in the School Breakfast Program. D.C. could help more low-income children start the day with a healthy morning meal by getting more schools to offer breakfast in the classroom, a strategy that’s proven to boost participation. Additionally, continuing to increase participation in the Food Stamp Program by fully implementing policies that passed with the Food Stamp Expansion Act, such as categorical eligibility[4] and Heat and Eat[5], will also help get much-needed resources in the hands of families struggling with hunger.
D.C. Hunger Solutions’ “Get the Food Guide” is available to help women learn about nutrition resources. Contact Katie Vinopal (kvinopal@dchunger.org) if you would like a copy.
[1] http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err83/
[2] http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/FoodSecurity/measurement.htm or http://www.frac.org/html/hunger_in_the_us/hunger_index.html
[3] http://www.frac.org/html/hunger_in_the_us/health.html