Many Faces of Hunger

Hunger is a phenomenon that knows no race, gender, or age. Anyone can be affected by it, but the numbers show that certain groups feel the pain more than others.
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Veterans serve the country in a way that cannot be appreciated enough. They risk their lives in order to keep us safe. So, whys is it that 24% of veterans enrolled in VACS were identified as “food insecure?” The majority of veterans involved in VACS have issues with homelessness, income, drug abuse, hypertension, diabetes, depression, and HIV.

Migrant and seasonal workers disproportionately feel the attack of hunger. Because they are relatively young, the average worker is 33 years of age, they are predisposed to hunger. In addition, many workers are able to start at twelve, so their education is cut short at middle school. These are all factors that contribute to the food deficiency among seasonal workers.

In the Southwest one group of migrant workers reported that 82% of workers were food insecure. The geographic restrictions along with the fact that most do not have access for food refrigeration, supermarkets, and even stoves makes it extremely difficult for this group to break the cycle.

Pregnant women who are food insecure tend to be affected by stress, eating disorders, and postpartum weight. The weight and obesity issue can greatly affect a mother’s life. Lack of energy can be detrimental to both a mother and her children. These disadvantages were tied to specific socioeconomic situations and ethnicity/races,which is something that should not be true in a developed country.

No one is free of fear from hunger.

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