News » Feeding America
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Did You Know? Rural Areas Have High Rates of Hunger
According to Feeding America, 86% of the communities in the United States that face hunger are rural*. Sometimes this seems counter intuitive since many of these rural areas are also farming communities that produce food for the rest of the country.Part of the reason rural communities have these higher hunger rates, is due to the difficulties living remotely can present. Rural areas have a higher likelihood to also be a food desert (an area which it is difficult to provide affordable or good-quality fresh food). Many rural areas also have a higher unemployment rate.Our community has a combination of populated and rural areas, both of which unfortunately have families that face hunger. Food for Thought is working to provide food to children not just in the more populated communities, but also within areas in our counties that have less options to receive food. -
Removing the Negative Impacts of Childhood Hunger in Our Community
Food insecurity is present in every county in the United States but not all families who worry about hunger qualify for government assistance. According to Feeding America, 12 million children in our country worry about where their next meal will come from. 27.1% of children in Walton County and 25.2% in Okaloosa County are food insecure. About 6 children in your child's class are more worried about what they are going to eat next then what their teacher is saying.
When a child is food insecure their ability to focus in school severely decreases. They have increased anxiety and aggression and often miss school due to chronic illness.
Food For Thought is working in Walton and Okaloosa Counties to make sure food isn't something our children have to worry about. This school year we will deliver backpacks full of healthy, easy to prepare food to 20 different schools and reach 1500 students a week. In addition to our weekly backpack program, Food For Thought has holiday and summer services and provides all teachers in the schools we serve with a monthly supply of snacks for their classroom.
With your help Food For Thought is removing the negative impacts of hunger for children in our community so they can get the most out of their education and development.
*Thank you note from a teacher in one of the local schools that Food For Thought serves.
