IT TAKES A NATION TO ADDRESS HUNGER

Today, 49 million Americans are food-insecure. Providing food for immediate relief is critical, but it is not enough. Hunger is a complex issue that food banks and charities alone cannot solve. To achieve a hunger-free America, America must find ways to address the root causes of hunger and improve long-term food security for low-income Americans. Government, business, and nonprofit organizations must promote an environment that enables people to lead stable lives that can result in self-sufficiency and opportunity. The first step to improving stability is recognizing that hunger does not exist in isolation. When people visit food pantries, they are not only struggling to put food on the table, they are also struggling to pay for housing, health, and employment. People need. Improving food insecurity means not only increasing people’s access to nutritious meals, it also means disrupting the cycle that requires them to juggle paying rent, utilities, childcare, and medical bills. To truly solve hunger, organizations from all sectors must work together to address all of these basic needs, holistically.

Source: Spotlight on Poverty, 5/5/15, Addressing Hunger Holistically