Food hardship is not a new dilemma to Americans. Each year, people across the country struggle to afford enough food, and according to a Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) report released this month, food hardship rates are increasing.
 Although many rural Americans grow the majority of our food supply, they are widely affected by hunger. Hunger is detrimental to the health and well-being of all food insecure people, but living in a rural area can make living with hunger even worse.
 Though we traditionally view health as the result of individual choices, there are many factors outside of our control that influence these choices without us always being aware. Where you live plays a vital role in your health. Depending on your location, living a healthy lifestyle may be easy, or it may be more difficult.
 For many children, summer means days at the pool and quality time spent with their families. However, for some children, summer is associated with hunger. With no school for several weeks, many students will be left wondering where their next meal will come from.
 Food-insecurity and hunger affect far too many Arizonans, including some of our population’s most vulnerable: senior citizens. 46 million people in the U.S. are over the age of 65. Of that 46 million, 2.8 million seniors live in food-insecure households, and an additional 1.2 million seniors who live alone are also food-insecure. Arizona is home to 1.1 million seniors. 15.4 percent of those seniors are food-insecure. Although there are programs and organizations working to aide these community members, a lack of knowledge and stigmas surrounding food assistance are inhibiting true progress.
 Hunger is an issue that almost 800 million people in the world face every day. In Arizona alone, there are over 1 million people who are food insecure. The United Nations started a program to globally combat these devastating food security and malnutrition problems. With a growing agriculture industry, farming is calling upon young people to step in and fill the gaps. Here’s how young farmers are going to impact the industry in the upcoming years.
 In the new year, the United States legislature will introduce the 2018 Farm Bill. Here is some information on what the new bill will contain and how it will impact you if it’s passed.  November marks the beginning of the season of giving. No one is too young to learn the importance of helping others. This holiday season, take your family out to assist those in need, all the while imparting habits and compassion to last a lifetime. There are family-friendly activities and organizations across Arizona for you and your loved ones to get involved with, so here are a few ideas to get you started! September is Hunger Action Month, an opportunity to spread the word, take action on the hunger crisis, and dedicate ourselves to a solution. Join the #HungerActionMonth conversation all month long, and watch our video below for more ways you can make a difference. |
