Foodie News
Study shows more Houston families struggling with hunger
It's hard to believe, but it's true. In Houston, land of 10,000 restaurants, over a quarter of children under 18 live at risk of hunger.
According to "Map the Meal Child Food Insecurity 2011," a comprehensive new study by Feeding America and the Houston Food Bank, 26.1 percent of youth struggle with food insecurity, or limited and uncertain access to adequate food and nutrition, in the 18-county greater Houston area that's covered by the Houston Food Bank.
In Houston, land of 10,000 restaurants, over a quarter of children under 18 live at risk of hunger.
Food insecurity hurts everyone, but has even greater negative effects for children, including hampering cognitive development and increased illness, and it's been linked to poor school performance in older children.
Harris County has the third-highest number of children living in food-insecure households, with 307,570 children, or 27.2 percent struggling with hunger. Of the 19 counties with more than 100,000 food-insecure children in the United States, five are in Texas.
According to the Houston Food Bank,
The data reveals that a significant proportion of food insecure children are likely not eligible for federal child nutrition programs because they live in a household with income over the threshold to qualify. These are the children with few options for obtaining food assistance outside of their local food bank and other charitable food programs. The findings demonstrate profound need for food assistance among children in every part of the country. The data also demonstrates that federal child nutrition programs are not currently reaching all food insecure children."
The recession and rising costs of gas, utilities and housing have swelled the numbers of the food insecure, but according to the Houston Food Bank study, $13 per week could lead to food security.
Remember, the Houston Food Bank's largest annual fundraiser is Houston Restaurant Weeks, so you can make a contribution just by eating out at one of the 140 participating Houston restaurants on the HRW prix fixe menus.
