Combating Youth Hunger in the U.S.

By Taylor Aiello 

Stonehill College News Blog Journalist 

Every day after school, the Boys and Girls Club of Brockton, Massachusetts fills with children coming for homework help, arts and crafts, or gym activities. But one of the most important programs that the club offers is dinner.

Most weeknights, the club feeds dozens of children—from kindergarteners to high schoolers—through its meals program designed to ease hunger of children from families who are struggling financially.

“People should care about this issue because it is so prevalent in our society and communities and some of us see it every day… some of the children who are homeless, or poor can be so helpless if he or she is so young with nothing to do or no way to support themselves. With that being said, we should be the ones to help support them when they are unable to,” said Cassie Ford, a senior and one of the hunger volunteer coordinators at Stonehill College. 

She has volunteered with Horizons for Homeless Children and does activities with the children who live in a Brockton homeless shelter. Her experiences have given her insight into these children’s lives and she has learned that youth development is extremely important. 

The youth who attend the Boys and Girls Club of Brockton are not alone in their hunger. 

Recent studies of the No Kid Hungry organization have found that in the United States more than 13 million children do not regularly have enough food to eat. 

One in six children face hunger daily, according to the organization. Twenty-two million children rely on the free or reduced-price lunches they receive at school. But in the summer when school is out those meals are not offered and children go hungry. 

Ford said that one of the first and most important steps in combating youth hunger in the United States is to educate people. Not enough people know truly how many children go home hungry, and most people do not know the real reason why. 

Kathleen Gorman, a professor of psychology at the University of Rhode Island and an expert on child hunger, is the director of the URI’s Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America. 

She said the main cause of hunger is poverty. However, poverty can be a result of any number of situations, including natural disasters, unemployment, alcoholism, drug use or a lack of general resources within the family. 

Gorman said that most people believe that these families did something to “deserve” the financial position they are in, but there are many different explanations for every situation, and those families should not be subjected to negative stereotypes. 

Gorman, who has been studying child hunger for the last thirty years, said society has the knowledge to reduce hunger. 

“This is not a hard problem to solve. We simply do not have the political power we need,” said Gorman. 

The United States needs additional hunger fighting organizations funded by donations and the government in order to combat the problem, Gorman said. 

The No Kid Hungry organization found that in 2016, 59% of food-insecure households reported participating in at least one federal nutrition program. 

Some food organizations operate locally, one of which is Gifts of Love in Avon, Connecticut. They help people meet their most basic needs through food, clothing, and houseware. 

In the Gifts of Love food pantry, people pick a specific number of food items from each category based on their family size. The food products in the pantry are donations from businesses and people. Therefore, these charitable organizations rely on donations from the community. 

Gifts of Love is also a part of the nationwide BackPack Program. With this program, children at risk of hunger receive a bag of food that is nonperishable, nutritious, and child-friendly. 

The BackPack Program started at Gifts of Love thirteen years ago with only thirty bags donated. Today, they are at 341 bags. It is important to the organization that the entire family can sit and eat a meal together.

“Kids should be learning, playing, and making friends. They shouldn’t be worried about what they are eating. It is not fair to them, we owe it to them,” said Nancy Carlson, the volunteer and outreach manager of Gifts of Love.

Ford, Gorman, and Carlson all said that hunger crosses generations and that it is important to address all age groups. 

“I believe this is an issue that cannot just be targeted by focusing on children. I think this issue affects families as a whole as well as the individual and we need to look at everyone and the root causes first when trying to end hunger,” said Ford. 

Kate Clabaugh, a member of the NRPA (The National Recreation and Parks Association), authored the 2019 article “Combating Hunger Among Older Adults and Youth: An Intergeneration Approach” in the NRPA’s monthly magazine.

She too said that this is an intergenerational issue that is affecting children, and in order to help children, the adults also must be helped.

“The NRPA strongly encourages those park and recreation facilities serving both children and older adults to consider an intergenerational approach to combating hunger in communities by pairing two or more federal nutrition programs to provide healthy meals and snacks to both populations at the same site,” said Clabaugh. 

If parents are hungry too, it affects their parenting skills, and directly affects their children’s academics, behavior, and future.

“Someone is not going to be a good parent if they are always hungry too,” said Carlson. 

Ford said that she has learned so much from all the children she has spent time with through volunteering. She said the bonds she has formed with the children has taught her to be more aware of other situations and give to those who need it most.

“I know as an individual I will not be able to solve the problem but explaining to people the severity of the issue and providing them with ways that they can donate and support others through volunteering or donating is very important I believe,” said Ford.