Food for Thought: The Problem with Domestic Hunger Every November families across the U.S. sit down together and eat one of the most important meals of the year. In some homes though, families will only be able to eat because of the generosity of others or holiday food drives. Although Americans are well aware of the matter of world hunger, they rarely acknowledge the issue at home. Food insecurity (the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food) and domestic hunger are some of the biggest obstacles in America right now. The fact that it is overlooked has allowed it to grow unchecked as well. Programs such as WIC (The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children)
…show more content…
According to one source, “A report by The Tennessean earlier this month noted that pockets of poverty persist even in the most affluent counties of Middle Tennessee, and the issue of economic stigma was present even with school children. School officials for good reason make it difficult to know which students get free lunches and which do not” (In the Land). Hunger exists in even the upper class. The school administration keeps the free lunch students confidential in order to protect them from embarrassment or harassment by the other students. The Tennessean also reports, “It is popular to complain about government assistance-food stamps, WIC and the rest- and portray the people they serve as lazy scammers” (In the Land). The problem of hunger exists everywhere in the U.S. but in some communities the victims are afraid to reach out for help in fear of being alienated by their peers or neighbors. Many people in need of assistance often will not reach out (or reach out in secret) to avoid being stigmatized. Fear of stigmatization has allowed many cases of domestic hunger to be continuously …show more content…
should devote more resources to ending hunger at home because it is causing the nation as a whole to suffer. The decision to devote more resources to end hunger in the U.S. would strengthen the workforce by making students more likely to succeed which would boost the nation’s economy. Naysayers will say that people are lazy and need to work more or that maybe people should sign up for entitlement programs such as WIC or SNAP. Statements such as that demonstrate a lack of knowledge of the problem. In no way does the word lazy represent the nature of the working class people. One could argue that they are the backbone of the economy. The nation should make it easier to enroll in many of the entitlement programs. Admittedly, funds are needed in other issues that this country faces. With that being said though, the issue of hunger should not go completely ignored as it has lately. The United States should devote more resources to ending hunger at
According to one source, “A report by The Tennessean earlier this month noted that pockets of poverty persist even in the most affluent counties of Middle Tennessee, and the issue of economic stigma was present even with school children. School officials for good reason make it difficult to know which students get free lunches and which do not” (In the Land). Hunger exists in even the upper class. The school administration keeps the free lunch students confidential in order to protect them from embarrassment or harassment by the other students. The Tennessean also reports, “It is popular to complain about government assistance-food stamps, WIC and the rest- and portray the people they serve as lazy scammers” (In the Land). The problem of hunger exists everywhere in the U.S. but in some communities the victims are afraid to reach out for help in fear of being alienated by their peers or neighbors. Many people in need of assistance often will not reach out (or reach out in secret) to avoid being stigmatized. Fear of stigmatization has allowed many cases of domestic hunger to be continuously …show more content…
should devote more resources to ending hunger at home because it is causing the nation as a whole to suffer. The decision to devote more resources to end hunger in the U.S. would strengthen the workforce by making students more likely to succeed which would boost the nation’s economy. Naysayers will say that people are lazy and need to work more or that maybe people should sign up for entitlement programs such as WIC or SNAP. Statements such as that demonstrate a lack of knowledge of the problem. In no way does the word lazy represent the nature of the working class people. One could argue that they are the backbone of the economy. The nation should make it easier to enroll in many of the entitlement programs. Admittedly, funds are needed in other issues that this country faces. With that being said though, the issue of hunger should not go completely ignored as it has lately. The United States should devote more resources to ending hunger at