A New Name For Families in Hunger – The Food Insecure

Some 38 million people in America are considered “food insecure” — they have trouble finding the money to keep food on the table. NPR profiles families who have faced hunger in three different settings: rural, suburban and urban America.Hunger Hidden but Real in America’s Suburbs

One-third of poor Americans live in suburbs. In Holly, Mich., Joy and Chris Hardenburgh found their dreams derailed after an on-the-job accident forced Chris to take sick leave. Soon, the family of three found themselves overwhelmed with medical bills and struggling to provide themselves with basic necessities.

Q & A: The Causes Behind Hunger in America

More than 13 million families in 2004 were unable at times to buy the food they needed, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Five million of those families said their money situation was so strained, that one or more members went hungry as a result. Economic geographer Amy Glasmeier talks about the phenomenon of hunger in America.

Housing Costs Play Role in Urban Hunger

In Oakland, Calif., hunger exists in all the usual places: government housing projects and rundown boarding homes. But it also shows up where it’s least expected: in upscale Oakland Hills. That’s where Brian Donaldson, and his wife Tina, share an apartment that some would call luxurious. But at 52, Donaldson is jobless and his skills are outdated. He receives disability payments, but 80 percent of it goes to rent.

A Rural Struggle to Keep the Family Fed

Some residents of Smyth County, Va., are struggling to pay the bills and feed their families. Robbie Hankins works full-time, and his wife, Wreatha, works part-time. Yet the couple must resort to extraordinary measures to keep food on the table.

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