1 IN 7 AMERICANS RELY ON FOOD BANKS AND PROGRAMS

About one in seven Americans—more than 46 million people—rely on food pantries, community kitchens, school lunch programs, senior citizens' Meals on Wheels deliveries, or other food initiatives to supplement their daily diet, according to a study by Feeding America. The ranks of the hungry include 12 million children and 7 million seniors, plus millions more among the working poor, military families, the unemployed, and young college graduates. Those in each group said their reliance on food aid stemmed from a daily struggle to put healthy and nutritious food on the table when all that many can afford is inexpensive processed food that fuels a cycle of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. 

Source: National Geographic, 8/18/14, Food Assistance