No More Hunger In America. Mission Accomplished.
Hungrr doesn’t want to get political but it seems the new-speakers are at it again. According to the USDA, the government does not want to use the word hunger any longer to describe hunger. The new terminology for hunger is “very low food security.”
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While curiously, New Hampshire’s Food Banks’ report demand for food is up 35 percent and inventory is down by 46 percent compared to last year.
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ABC News
The Boston Globe
I wouldn’t be too quick to dismiss terms such as “low food security” or “food insecurity” as doublespeak. They are accurate terms for what is, fundamentally, an economic problem. Hunger is easily cured with a bowl of soup or a loaf of bread. Food insecurity is much more difficult. Food insecurity — or chronic hunger, if you prefer — is not a food problem. It’s about entitlement, when a family’s income and assets drop below the line needed to keep themselves fed.
Food banks and soup kitchens are a good temporary fix for a family in immediate need, but they don’t solve the long-term problem of ensuring that families are able to earn an income that will let them survive. Job training, job opportunities, affordable housing, educational opportunities — these are the things that can truly help end hunger, rather than just postpone it.
Thank you toasterhead, for your thoughtful and knowledgeable comments. We think that solving the long term problem begins when there are enough people who are aware of the facts of hunger in America. We think that eliminating the word “hunger” from official government reports will not help bring attention to the problem. We think that saying “millions of Americans suffer from ‘low food security’” is confusing and, in fact, minimizes the impact this information has on the public. We think in a battle for awareness and understanding, words, and how they communicate and resonate with the public, is of the utmost importance. We agree with your assesment of the issue in general but also don’t wish to underplay the necessary role food banks and soup kittchens play in the everyday lives of millions of Americans. Thanks.
-Hungrr