U.S. hunger rate still at historic high

The number of Americans struggling with hunger remained stable in
2009 despite the economic downturn but at the highest recorded level,
according to new federal figures.

The U.S. Department of
Agriculture released statistics November 15 showing that one in seven
American households could not buy adequate food last year due to lack of
money and other resources.

The number of people suffering from
"food insecurity" increased only one-tenth of a percentage point from
2008, but that number is almost more than 4 percentage points higher
than it was ten years ago—and the highest since 1995.

"It could be
worse," said David Beckmann, a Lutheran minister and president of the
ecumenical antihunger group Bread for the World, in an interview with
CNN. "I was struck that the numbers did not increase from the end of
2008 to the end of 2009."

Coincidentally, lay and ordained
Presbyterians surveyed in February were fairly optimistic about solving
domestic hunger problems by 2035. The figures were released November 16
in the latest Presbyterian Panel survey from the 2-million-member
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

About half of members (47 percent)
and elders (50 percent) and three in five pastors (60 percent) and
nonparish ministers (63 percent) either "strongly agree" or "agree" that
the problem of wide­spread hunger in the U.S. can be solved in the next
25 years.

"Presbyterians demonstrate their commitment to fighting
hunger . . . in many ways, notably by supporting food pantries," said
Perry Chang, Presbyterian Panel administrator.

In 2009, more than
nine in ten Pres­byterians in all four groups have given food to a food
pantry or other community program for emergency food assistance. In
addition, Chang said, about three-quarters gave money to food assistance
programs or heard or gave a sermon addressing hunger or poverty.

A
Census Bureau report released in September said that the U.S. poverty
rate increased by 3.8 million people in 2009—a little more than 1
percent.

The three largest federal nutrition programs—the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food
stamps; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants
and Children; and the National School Lunch Program—have all seen an
increase in need, the agriculture department said.

Hunger was more
prevalent in large cities than in rural areas and suburbs and was
substantially higher in black and Hispanic families.