 Hunger in NYSHunger is a real problem in NYS. Children are going to bed without food, working adults are skipping meals to pay housing and energy costs, and seniors are choosing between food and medications.
The results of hunger and food insecurity are devastating: According to Children's Health Watch, children in food insecure homes are approximately twice as likely to suffer poor health and one-third more likely to be hospitalized. Hungry adults cannot perform well in the workforce. Young children who are malnourished do not develop properly—irreversible damage which affects them for the rest of their lives. Hungry students cannot learn, compromising their futures and that of NY’s workforce. Fortunately, there are programs to reduce hunger and food insecurity. Please visit our Food Stamp Center, Child Nutrition Center, Senior Nutrition Center, and Nutrition Outreach and Education page to find out about nutrition assistance programs that help reduce hunger in NYS. The Nutrition Consortium’s focus is on increasing access to and participation in these nutrition assistance programs, thereby reducing the incidence of hunger in NYS. Our Nutrition Outreach and Education Program helps connect people to the food assistance they need. We also advocate for legislation and policies to improve these programs: making them easier to apply for, providing adequate benefits, and increasing the eligibility parameters to include more vulnerable people. |
10.5% of New York State residents have difficulty affording enough food on a regular basis.
Source: USDA/Economic Research Service, October 2005
