Who is the Face of Hunger?

• Hunger or “Food Insecurity” is defined as the lack of dependable access to enough food to sustain a healthy life. Imagine not knowing where your next meal is coming from!
• The USDA recently reported that 1 in 6 Americans struggle with hunger – including nearly 17 million children.
• People who are food insecure are often forced to choose between paying for food and everyday necessities such as rent or health care
• Children without adequate nutrition are more likely to have cognitive and behavioral development issues 

MYTH: Rockland is affluent with few people who go hungry

• FACT:  The majority of the people served are food insecure - they do not know where they will find their next meal
• FACT: 43,800 people are living below the poverty level in Rockland (1 out of 7) - that's up from 33,000 just 2 years ago - a 25% increase!
• FACT:   Almost half of the people getting food do NOT qualify for federal nutrition programs and must rely on charitable food assistance
• FACT: The number of people asking for help is increasing each year, and includes the working poor and the middle class - people that never had to get food assistance before—the newly unemployed, the underemployed, and families that have at least one parent working.