Hunger and Homelessness

There is plenty of food worldwide to feed the existing human population. In fact, the world produces 10% more food today than is needed to feed everyone. Yet millions of people throughout the world and the United States currently exist without adequate food and shelter. The U.S. is one of the richest, most advanced nations in the world and could easily end hunger and homelessness if we prioritized it as a society. Experts estimate that if we fully funded federal assistance programs, we could end domestic hunger in five years. The problems of hunger and homelessness worsen each year as critical societal decisions are made based on special interests instead of the public's interest.

Hunger and Homelessness Facts

In 2004, 38.2 million Americans lived in households experiencing food insecurity. This was an increase of 7 million people since 1999. (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2004)
In the U.S., more then 3 million people experience homelessness each year. Of those 3 million people, 40% are families with children, and an additional 5% are unaccompanied children. (U.S. Conference of Mayors: Status on Hunger and Homelessness in America’s Cities, 2004)
In 2004, 37 million Americans lived below the federal poverty level; this represents 12.7% of the U.S. population. (U.S. Census Bureau: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S., 2004)
39% of emergency food recipient households (those served in soup kitchens, food pantries, and emergency shelters) have at least one adult in the household working. (America’s Second Harvest)
In 2004, 24% of emergency food providers and 77% of emergency shelter providers reported having to turn away requests from people in need, primarily due to a lack of resources. (National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, Communities in Crisis, 2004)
852 million people experience hunger worldwide; this represents 1 out of 6 people worldwide. (Bread for the World Institute: Annual Hunger Report, 2005)
One child dies every five seconds from hunger related causes, totaling 16,000 children each day. (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: State of Food Insecurity in the World, 2003)
Hunger is defined as consuming fewer than 1,960 calories per day. If all the food produced worldwide were distributed equally, there would be enough food so that every person could consume 2,760 calories per day and no one would experience hunger. (UNDP Human Development Report, 2005)
From 1999 through 2004, there have been 386 acts of violence resulting in 156 murders of people experiencing homelessness by housed people, and 230 victims of non-lethal violence in 140 cities from 39 states and Puerto Rico. (National Coalition for the Homeless, June 2005)

Get Involved
Students must take the lead to create a sustainable future and society. Students can work through education, service and action to solve the problems of hunger and homelessness.

INPIRG students volunteer in shelters, raise money for food banks, and participate in educational events on campus. Our biggest event of the year is the Hunger Cleanup, which takes place each April. The Hunger Cleanup is a serve-a-thon, where students get people to sponsor them for each hour that they volunteer on a Saturday. This way, students provide both people-power in the form of volunteers, and money to help support the organizations that need it most.