Worldwide

Poverty is the principal cause of hunger. The causes of poverty include people’s lack of resources, an extremely unequal income distribution in the world and within specific countries, conflict, and hunger itself. There is an estimated 1.08 billion poor people in developing countries who live on $1 a day or less (Global Poverty Monitoring, World Bank). Of these, an estimated 798 million suffer from chronic hunger, which means that their daily intake of calories is insufficient for them to lead active and healthy lives. (World Hunger Notes: 2006)

National

Of the 288 million people in the United States, 36.3 million live in households experiencing hunger or “food insecutiry without hunger,” the latter meaning that, for economic reasons, parents are skipping meals so that children have enough to eat, or the family is only getting enough food into the house by using emergency food sources, or the family cannot afford an adequate, healthy diet meeting basic nutritional standards.

Overall, 11 pecent of U.S. households (12.6 million households) experienced either food insecurity or hunger. (2003 data: FRAC)

Minnesota

Minnesotans are visiting food shelves in ever increasing numbers. In 2000, 1.2 million visits were made. At 1.7 million visits in 2005, food shelf usage has increased by 45%. What were considered emergency solutions are now becoming sustaining programs, a fundamental part of a survival strategy for an increasing number of people.

Working people are still unable to afford the cost of housing. Almost three fourths of the respondants (see The State of Hunger in MN 2005) live in unaffordable housing siutations. Almost half the respondents are spending more than 50% of their income on housing and an additional one fourth between 30 and 50% of their income on housing. About two-thirds of households surveyed have monthly incomes of less than $1000.

56% of surveyed households have children and 15% of of households have at least one senior (adults age 60 or older) residing with them.

(The State of Hunger in Minnesota 2005: Hunger Solutions MN)