Hunger Report 

Hunger in America 
Americans are increasingly relying on food pantry services. Second Harvest estimates that 26 million people rely on emergency services to obtain food. Of these 26 million people, 75% have income under $10,000, only 35% are employed, and 60% have been on food stamps for one year or more. Reliance on food stamps is growing: there were 20 million food stamp recipients in 1990 and 26 million in 1996. Most people relying on food stamps are children. 

Position of the American Dietetic Association 
Chronic hunger due to poverty is more widespread than acute hunger due to famine. Of preschool-aged children in developing countries, 36% are moderately or severely malnourished (based on weight for age). Since 1985, hunger in the US has increased because of underfunding by the US government. 

Nutrition and Cognitive Development in Children 
Moderate undernutrition is the type most commonly seen in the United States, poverty being the primary factor leading to undernutrition in children. Though termed moderate, undernutrition has long-lasting effects on the cognitive development of children including the possibility of leading to educational failure. 

Additional Resources 
Bread for the World 
1100 Wayne Avenue Suite 1000 
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 
tel: 301-608-2400 
fax: 301-565-2687 
e-mail: bread@igc.apc.org 

Food Bank Council of Michigan 
106 West Allegan Street 
Lansing, MI 48933 
tel: 517-485-2630 
fax: 517-485-2630 
e-mail: fbcmoff@pilot.msu.edu 

Hunger Action Coalition 
220 Bagley, Suite 326 
Detroit, Michigan 48207 
tel: 313-923-3535 
fax: 313-923-2247 
e-mail:HNO144@handsnet.org 

Second Harvest 
116 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 4 
Chicago, Illinois 60603 
tel: 312-263-2303 
fax: 312-263-5626 

Michigan State University Extension 
140 Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition 
East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1224 
tel: 517-432-3788 
fax: 517-353-9331 

Links 
USDA National Agricultural Library 
Second Harvest 
Forgotten Harvest 
Bread for the World 
Global Network on Food Security 
USDA's World Food Security 
World Watch Institute 
Poverty Related Resources 
Reinvesting in America 

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