"Hunger in America looks very different from the stereotype of malnourished children trying to survive a famine in a low-income country far away. In the U.S., hunger is often much less obvious, but it's there in the disruptive behavior of a third-grader who missed breakfast or the chronic anxiety of parents carefully rationing out boxes of cheap macaroni for their children."
"The family's sole income comes from her federal disability check, Vargas said, supplemented by government programs like SNAP, and food donations. When the Trump administration delayed November's benefits during the government shutdown, "I was very worried," Vargas said. She couldn't stop thinking about a difficult time a few years ago when they lived in North Carolina, far from any food bank."
Hunger in the United States often appears as subtle signs: missed meals, disruptive behavior in children, and constant parental anxiety over food supplies. Families rely on federal benefits, SNAP, disability checks, and community food donations to survive. Transportation failures and job disruptions can quickly strip households of income and access to food. Individuals sometimes give their limited food to children, prioritizing offspring at personal cost. Relocation can improve access to food programs and pantries but does not eliminate the underlying insecurity. Political decisions and benefit delays exacerbate food instability and deepen distrust of leaders. Hunger also affects behavior and brain development.
Read at www.npr.org
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