Today, Millions More Children in America Are Struggling with Hunger
One child struggling with hunger is one too many. But the heartbreaking reality is that today, one year after the COVID-19 pandemic caused school closures and forced shutdowns, millions more children in America are struggling with hunger.
Since March 2020, food insecurity rates across the nation for families with children have risen by nearly two-thirds. Close to 1 in 5 U.S. families reported in December that they did not have enough food. Black and Hispanic children have been disproportionately impacted — they are twice as likely as white children to face hunger in America.
Sadly, today, the U.S. continues to lag behind most peer countries in meeting the needs of children and families during the pandemic. In Save the Children’s recent report, Childhood in the Time of COVID*, we examine the multiple hardships, including hunger, that are making it more difficult for children to reach their full potential. Simply put, going back to “normal” will not be enough for these kids.
