Utahns Against Hunger

In a state with one of the best economies in the country, and in a country with the greatest bounty and wealth in the world, it is appalling and disturbing that hunger should persist in Utah. Yet persist it does. In a recent report on hunger and food insecurity in America, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that in 2007:

• More than 36 million people, over 11 percent of the total population, lived in households considered to be food insecure in the United States.
• Of the 36 million people, more than 12 million were children. This represents more than 16 percent of all children in the U.S.
• Utah’s food insecurity rate exceeded the national rate, with 12.5 percent of the population living in food insecure households. The rate of households with very low food security in Utah may also exceed the national average, with 5.1 percent of Utah households in this condition compared to only 4.0 percent nationally.

It is impossible to know what effect the current economic climate is having on the rates of hunger and food insecurity in Utah. However, record numbers of people are utilizing the Food Stamp program as the economic fallout continues to displace thousands of working Utah families.

At the same time, many available federal nutrition programs are going underutilized. The most recent USDA data indicates that only 56 percent of Utah households deemed eligible for Food Stamps are actually using the program. This translates into well over $100 million annually in unclaimed benefits left on the table every year. Utah also ranks very low in our utilization of school lunch programs and dead last in our rate of school breakfast participation among impoverished children.