Food Insecurity in Arkansas Whether it is in between their midday snack and dinner or a skipped lunch, the average human feels the aching of their stomach as it whines for food almost daily. Hunger is a physiological feeling, but food insecurity is a complex problem that needs unpacking. According to America’s Health Rankings, food insecurity is the “percentage of households unable to provide adequate food for one or more household members due to lack of resources,” (“Food Insecurity,” par. 2). 1). The adage of the adage. Those who experience food insecurity feel a different kind of hunger associated with malnourishment and can suffer tremendously. Food insecurity is a hard problem to solve, but possible solutions to consider are a place where
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Advertisements of this day and age force out an image of a small child laying on the streets, ribcage showing, and circular, glossy eyes shining into the camera. Though this provokes sympathy, this is not an accurate representation. If it was, these children would be witnessed everywhere in Arkansas. Arkansas has the second-highest hunger rate in the United States, with 15% of households experiencing some sort of hunger (“Top 10 Hungriest States,” Figure 1). This puts about one in seven, or 444,130, people in need of food (“What Hunger Looks Like,” Figure 1). Additionally, this corresponds heavily with the poverty rate of about 16.3%, meaning that most who experience food insecurity are most likely struggling with poverty also (“Quick Facts Arkansas,” Table 12). According to Feeding America, “people facing hunger in Arkansas are estimated to report needing $200,073,000 more per year to meet their food needs,” (“What Hunger Looks Like,” Figure …show more content…
If this is put on a weekly scale, the cheapest week of adequate food in Arkansas would cost about $235.20 for this family of four. The minimum wage in Arkansas is $11.00, so a person who works forty hours a week at this cost will earn less than $440 after taxes and such. This means that more than half of the income this person earns will be spent on food for themselves and their family. This is an extremely specific case of food insecurity, but it occurs often as a look is taken into the lives of people such as struggling single parents – a common occurrence in Arkansas. Furthermore, extended food insecurity can result in malnourishment which in turn causes issues like fatigue, weakness, the inability to concentrate, low mood and depression, sickliness, and long recovery times. For the health and productivity of 15% of the population in Arkansas, quick and effective solutions need to be enacted as soon as possible. A solution that comes to mind is free lunches for those in
Advertisements of this day and age force out an image of a small child laying on the streets, ribcage showing, and circular, glossy eyes shining into the camera. Though this provokes sympathy, this is not an accurate representation. If it was, these children would be witnessed everywhere in Arkansas. Arkansas has the second-highest hunger rate in the United States, with 15% of households experiencing some sort of hunger (“Top 10 Hungriest States,” Figure 1). This puts about one in seven, or 444,130, people in need of food (“What Hunger Looks Like,” Figure 1). Additionally, this corresponds heavily with the poverty rate of about 16.3%, meaning that most who experience food insecurity are most likely struggling with poverty also (“Quick Facts Arkansas,” Table 12). According to Feeding America, “people facing hunger in Arkansas are estimated to report needing $200,073,000 more per year to meet their food needs,” (“What Hunger Looks Like,” Figure …show more content…
If this is put on a weekly scale, the cheapest week of adequate food in Arkansas would cost about $235.20 for this family of four. The minimum wage in Arkansas is $11.00, so a person who works forty hours a week at this cost will earn less than $440 after taxes and such. This means that more than half of the income this person earns will be spent on food for themselves and their family. This is an extremely specific case of food insecurity, but it occurs often as a look is taken into the lives of people such as struggling single parents – a common occurrence in Arkansas. Furthermore, extended food insecurity can result in malnourishment which in turn causes issues like fatigue, weakness, the inability to concentrate, low mood and depression, sickliness, and long recovery times. For the health and productivity of 15% of the population in Arkansas, quick and effective solutions need to be enacted as soon as possible. A solution that comes to mind is free lunches for those in