Washington, D.C., October 25, 2023 – According to a new report released today by the USDA, in 2022 the prevalence of food insecurity among households in the U.S. was “statistically significantly higher” than 2021. This includes households with children experiencing “low” or “very low” food insecurity.
Bread for the World attributes this significant rise, in part, to the end of pandemic assistance programs including the expanded Child Tax Credit and increased SNAP and WIC access and benefits. Inflation and rising food prices are also contributing factors.
The following statement can be attributed to Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World:
“As many of us in the anti-hunger community anticipated, the end of pandemic assistance programs coincided with a significant rise in food insecurity in the U.S. Programs such as the expanded Child Tax Credit, and increased access to SNAP and WIC, have again been proven to reduce hunger – especially among families with children.
“Now that Congress is poised to focus on the FY 2024 budget following the election of House Speaker Mike Johnson, Bread urges lawmakers to take these lessons to heart and support programs like the expanded CTC, SNAP, and WIC, which help families experiencing hunger.
“We know how to reduce hunger in the U.S. What’s needed is the collective will to do it.”
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According to the report, in 2022:
- In the U.S., 44.2 million people lived in food-insecure households compared to roughly 34 million in 2021.
- 11.7 million adults lived in households with very low food security.
- 7.3 million children lived in food-insecure households in which children, along with adults, were food insecure.
- 783,000 children lived in households in which one or more child experienced very low food security.
Bread for the World is a Christian advocacy organization urging U.S. decision makers to do all they can to pursue a world without hunger
