For people facing hunger, poverty is just one issue
Before the coronavirus pandemic, 35 million experienced hunger. Poverty is one of the factors that affect a person’s ability to have enough food to meet their needs. Yet up to two-thirds of people facing hunger have incomes above the federal poverty line.
Facts about poverty and hunger in America
Even in the world’s greatest food-producing nation, children and adults face poverty and hunger in every county across America.
- In 2019, 34 million people lived in poverty in America. For a family of four, that means earning just $25,000 per year.
- Before the coronavirus pandemic, more than 35 million people faced hunger in the United States, including more than 10 million children.
- A household that is food insecure has limited or uncertain access to enough food to support a healthy life.
- Children are more likely to face food insecurity than any other group in the United States.
- The coronavirus pandemic has left millions of families without stable employment. More than 42 million people, including 13 million children, may experience food insecurity.