Children | Advocacy List |
Child Hunger Hurts Pennsylvania
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. 2012.
- 588,370 Pennsylvania children are food insecure.
- Almost half a million children in Pennsylvania received free school lunches during the 2010 school year, but only 100,000 children participated in the Summer Food Service Program - designed to fulfill the nutritional gap when school lets out for the summer.
- Child hunger causes health problems, behavioral issues, educational problems, and impedes job readiness as an adult.
Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity
Feeding America. 2012.
- 91,990 children (18.4%) are food insecure in the Food Bank's 11-county service area.
- 36% of those children are likely ineligible for federal nutrition programs.
- In 2010, Fayette County had the highest child food insecurity rate in the state of Pennsylvania - at 26.6%.
Childhood Food Insecurity and the Mitigating Role of SNAP
Urban Institute. October 2012.
Children are more likely to be food insecure if living in a household where...
- Parents' highest education level received is high school diploma or less.
- There's a large number of younger children.
- Parents have moderate to severe depression.
- Parents have fair to poor health.
- Parents have little social support.
Children are more likely to be food secure if...
- At least one parent works full-time.
- The household receives SNAP benefits.
Hunger in the Classroom: Share Our Strength's Teachers Report 2012
Share Our Strength. June 2012.
A survey of K-8 public school teachers from throughout the county showed the following information:
- 3 out of 5 teachers see students regularly coming to school hungry.
- Teachers see negative impacts of hunger on students, including inability to concentrate, poor academic performance, and headaches and stomach aches.
- 53% of teachers purchase food for hungry kids in their classroom.
- 9 out of 10 teachers think breakfast is extremely important to academic achievement.
The State of America's Children
Children's Defense Fund. 2011.
- 206,248 (7.6%) Pennsylvania children under the age of 18 lived in extreme poverty in 2009.
- Over half a million Pennsylvania children received SNAP (food stamp) benefits each month in 2009.
Food Research and Action Center. 2011.
Participation in the school breakfast program has been associated with:
- Decreased risk of food insecurity and higher intakes of vital nutrients.
- Improved attendance, behavior and academic performance.
- Lower body mass index (BMI) - leading to lower rates of obesity in children.
- Less visits to the school nurse.
- Decreased tardiness and hyperactivity.
Hunger Doesn't Take a Vacation
Food Research and Action Center. 2011.
- Participation in summer food programs has decreased by 3.1% since July 2008, yet the number of children receiving free/reduced price school lunches has been rising consistently.
- During the summer of 2010 in Pennsylvania, only 23.7 children participated in summer nutrition programs for every 100 that participated in the school lunch program.
Child Food Insecurity: The Economic Impact on our Nation
John Cook and Karen Jeng. Feeding America. 2009.
- Child hunger causes health, educational and job-readiness problems.
Partnership for America's Economic Success. Nov. 2008
Food insecure children...
- Saw a 13% drop in reading and math scores by the time they reach third grade.
- Are more likely to be absent from class.
- Are 4X more likely to need mental health counseling.
- Are 7X more likely to get into fights.
- Are 2X more likely to receive special education and repeat a grade.
Children who received SNAP (food stamp) benefits...
- Saw reduced rates of hospitalizations.
- Had better vitamin and mineral intake than their food insecure peers not receiving SNAP
