09/14/2012

Ohio's Children Rank Third in Nation in Food Insecurity

Hunger and malnutrition have devastating effects on our children’s ability
to learn and grow into tomorrow’s productive citizens. Hunger among our
youngest Ohioans is growing and will dramatically affect already rising health
care costs, educational achievement, future worker productivity and the ability
of our State and nation to compete in the global economy. Yet, hunger is
entirely preventable.

Each year the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) measures food
insecurity and very low food security across the United States. In September of
2011, the USDA released data on food insecurity. They found that Ohio is 6th in the nation for high food security but that 16.4 percent of Ohioans are considered food insecure. Ohio’s increase of 7.9 percentage points in one year is the largest increase in food insecurity of all states. Ohio’s food insecurity rate is higher than all surrounding states and the U.S average, and now ranks third of all the states in food insecurity.

Feeding America produced the first comprehensive report about food insecurity at the state and county level in 2010. It has been expanded to include local level data on child food insecurity. This report determined that 26.5 percent
(731,040) of Ohio children struggle with food insecurity. Forty percent of all food insecure Ohioans are not income eligible for federal nutrition programs like SNAP, school meals, or WIC because they live in households above 185% of
the federal poverty level. Ohio’s 12 Feeding America Food Banks and their network of more than 3,300 local agencies fed 2.1 million Ohioans, 35% of which are children 17 and under. Though families may have income, they must make
hard choices of whether to eat or pay the rent, medical bills, utilities, or transportation costs to get to jobs. They usually choose to do without food.
Children develop nutritional habits very young, so it is important to ensure that children have access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. However, these foods are often more expensive to purchase than foods high in added
sugars and saturated fats. According to the Archives of Pediatric Medicine, even one experience with hunger has negative impacts on children 10 and 15 years later. Food insecurity among children results in higher rates of depression and anxiety, diabetes and other chronic conditions, internalizing behavior problems, increased likelihood of needing to repeat a grade at school, lower math scores, and more risk of other developmental delays.

Volunteers, service organizations, and churches play important roles in addressing child hunger, from supporting Summer Food Service Program sites, maximizing partnerships and community resources, organizing food donations, to screening families for SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps) benefits, and supporting policies to address the problem. Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does a child's need for good nutrition. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow, throughout the summer months when they are out of school. Several SOS congregations are already involved in the Summer School Food Program, but more sites are needed, especially in this synod’s geographical area. Begin now to consider becoming a summer meal provider for next summer. To learn moreabout this program, go to www.ode.state.oh.us.