A recent survey released by No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end child hunger in the United States, shows that a staggering number of parents are facing challenges providing meals for their children as costs skyrocket due to rising food prices.
Among the 3,000 parents of public school children who responded to a survey conducted by Ipsos, 58% of middle-income families and 68% of low-income families reported that it had become more difficult to pay for enough food for their children in the past year. 93% of middle-income parents and 87% of lower-income parents cited rising food prices as the reason for this struggle.
Although the lowest income families have been the most affected by the increase in food prices, Food insecurity has become a pressing issue affecting more middle-income families across the United States. The No Kid Hungry survey sheds light on the extent of this problem:
The middle-income families who were surveyed skip meals to feed their childrens.
One in 5 middle-income families reported that they they or their children skipped a meal in the past year due to rising food prices.
58% of middle-income parents reported that they it has become more difficult to pay for food for their children and, of those, 95% reported that they struggle to pay for enough food for their children at least once a month.
The lowest income families who were surveyed have been the most affected:
68% of the lowest income parents reported that they it has become more difficult to buy food in the last year.
· 74% reported that, in addition to the cost of food itself, the increased costs of other necessities, such as utilities, gasoline, rent, and clothing, contributed to the difficulty of buying enough food.
Many parents surveyed are one unexpected expense away from able to afford enough food for their children.
· Two in five lower-income families say an unexpected car repair or medical bill made it difficult for their children to get enough food. Among middle-income families, 50% reported the same.
“Families in America are suffering: We all have a neighbor, family member or friend who lives under the constant stress of being able to feed their children,” said Diana Hovey, senior vice president of corporate partnerships at Share Our Strength, the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign. “No parent should have to make impossible decisions like skipping a meal so their kids can eat or experiencing an unexpected car repair without being able to afford groceries. He doesn’t have to be like this, which is why we’re working to strengthen and expand nutrition programs that ensure every child in America has access to three meals a day.”
No Kid Hungry works to ensure that all children in the US receive three meals a dayimproving access to federal nutrition programs, providing grants to schools and community organizations to connect children with the healthy foods they need to thrive, and advocating for better laws and policies. For more information and help, enter here.
To learn more about the survey, click here.
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