Child Hunger
The state of New Mexico has the highest rate of child hunger with over 130,000 children suffering from hunger. People say the rate is high because 30 percent of children in New Mexico live in servers poverty. It is said that the children in New Mexico are not hungry because households lack food because federal food programs that are supposed to support poor children underutilize those who are eligible. Studies have shown that children suffering from hunger have trouble concentrating, get headaches and diseases, and are less likely to preform well in sports and in the classroom.
"REPORT: Child Hunger Is Concentrated In Rural America." ThinkProgress RSS. 10 June 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"Hunger In New Mexico." Hunger In New Mexico. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"REPORT: Child Hunger Is Concentrated In Rural America." ThinkProgress RSS. 10 June 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"Hunger In New Mexico." Hunger In New Mexico. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
27 percent of children in California suffer from hunger. This is a result of the barriers against food stamps that the state government has put in place. Also the state and many schools denying money to assist hungry families and children. The money that they are denying to give would boost the spending power of impoverished households and improve the health of children. It is also said that the people requiring support are not asking for assistance and not taking advantage of the opportunity of support presented to them by the state. But seeing as though the state denies many people who are eligible for support probably discourages poor people from even attempting to gain support from the state. The high teen pregnancy rate also accounts for the high rate of child hunger in California. Teens are having children that they can not support and feed which raises the child hunger rate of the state.
"Republicans Feel No Shame Over Starving America’s Kids To Give Tax Cuts To The Rich." PoliticusUSA. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"California’s Children Still Struggle in Poverty, New Report Says." California’s Children Still Struggle in Poverty, New Report Says. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"Republicans Feel No Shame Over Starving America’s Kids To Give Tax Cuts To The Rich." PoliticusUSA. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"California’s Children Still Struggle in Poverty, New Report Says." California’s Children Still Struggle in Poverty, New Report Says. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
Food Insecurity
Over four million people suffer from food insecurity in the state of California. Food insecurity is common in low income households with children because they could not afford to feed their family. Latino households held the highest percent of food insecurity with 38.2 percent. 37.3 percent were African American with food insecurity. 28.1 percent are white and 23.8 percent are Asian in California with food insecurity. In New Mexico over 40,000 people seek help from a free food pantry or food bank every week. Within this group of 40,000 54 percent said they must choose between paying for food and paying bills. Their average income every month is nine hundred dollars. Most schools and other facilities offer children and adults free breakfast but some lack necessary nutrients and others deny eligible people that should got free food but are not allowed too.
"Updated: Hunger in New Mexico Is for Real." ABQJournal Online. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"Food Insecurity." 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"Updated: Hunger in New Mexico Is for Real." ABQJournal Online. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
"Food Insecurity." 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
Health Conditions
In New Mexico 45 percent of people have to decide between buying food and paying for medicine and medical care. Hunger in New Mexico causes irregular eating habits which leads most people to developing diabetes and obesity. The people who are obese have an unhealthy weight and do not have access to healthy affordable food. Many New Mexicans also develop high blood pressure resulting from the lack of nutritious food. Non profit organizations are being created to help this problem and provide people with healthier food and proper medical care. The hunger in California greatly affects the the health development of children. It has been proven that food insecurity has a direct relationship to children's health development and psychological functioning. In addition to hunger problems California lacks sufficient health care which results from its rotting infrastructure, inadequate roads, lack of clean water, and an immense amount of air pollution.
"World Socialist Web Site." Hunger in California's Central Valley: Rising Poverty in Leading Food-producing Region -. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.
"Battling NM's Hunger, Health Issues at Source." ABQJournal Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.
Website
"World Socialist Web Site." Hunger in California's Central Valley: Rising Poverty in Leading Food-producing Region -. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.
"Battling NM's Hunger, Health Issues at Source." ABQJournal Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Dec. 2015.
Website
Current Event
This is a video of an organization called generationOn trying to end hunger in California. This group consists of men, women, and children attempting to help the hungry and poor by feeding and comforting them. Based on Catholic Social Teaching we are called to help anyway we can. The video tells us we can help through donations even something as little as a used coat or a can of food from our pantry. Catholic Social Teaching also tells us that we must not ignore or brush this problem off like most people have till this day because ignoring this problem is not helping it instead it is making it worse. Ignoring this problems has hurt and killed many people that could have been saved by a simple donation.
This is an interview with a person from the Adelante Devlopement Center located in New Mexico. This lady describes how people suffering from food insecurity are feed during the holiday season. She says that people go to food banks and food pantries to get food for their families. She also explains how even though these facilities try to feed everybody sometimes that just is not reality. She describes how often people are not feed because of the high volume of people that accumulates during the holiday season. Based from Catholic Social Teaching we must help because all life is precious therefore we must do everything in our power to preserve someone's life. We can donate money and our food to preserve the life of those people suffering from food insecurity.