This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
Coronavirus Crisis Leaves Young Children Hungry in America ¶
Research released on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, shows a rise in food insecurity without modern precedent in the United States. According to surveys of mothers by the Brookings Institution, nearly a fifth of young children are not getting enough to eat.
When food runs short, parents often skip meals to keep children fed. However, a survey of households with children 12 and under found that 17.4 percent reported the children themselves were not eating enough, compared with 5.7 percent during the Great Recession.
Lauren Bauer, a Brookings fellow in economic studies, said, 'This is alarming. These are households cutting back on portion sizes, having kids skip meals. The numbers are much higher than I expected.'
Ms. Bauer attributed the rise in food insecurity to disruptions in school meal programs, with some families unable to reach distribution sites and older siblings at home competing for limited food.
The findings come as Democrats and Republicans are at odds over proposals to raise food stamp benefits. Democrats want to increase benefits by 15 percent for the duration of the economic downturn, arguing that a similar move in 2009 reduced hunger during the Great Recession.
President Trump, contradicting his comments from Tuesday, said the White House coronavirus task force would 'continue on indefinitely' with its focus on safety and reopening the country.
