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Study Finds 1 in 5 Kids To Be Food Insecure

Hartford Business Journal

September 12, 2011

One in five children under the age of 18 are struggling with hunger in Greater Hartford, according to a survey released by Foodshare, the regional food bank, and Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization.

That’s better than the national average of one in four children, the study, “Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity 2011,” found.

“While Greater Hartford’s children are less likely to be food insecure than many other states throughout the nation, it is troubling when even one child is going to bed hungry,” says Gloria McAdam, president and CEO of Foodshare. “Through collaboration with other anti-poverty organizations and increased support of government assistance programs, Foodshare is already working hard to change these numbers. Distributing food alone will never bring an end to hunger. We must look toward increasing self-sufficiency and engaging the Greater Hartford community in longer term solutions if we ever hope to see lasting change.”

The study is an important tool because it provides critical information for developing strategies to alleviate child hunger. The data shows 55 percent of food insecure children are likely to be eligible for nutrition assistance such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

An executive summary of the report can be found at: feedingamerica.org/mapthegap/childsummary