Earlier this month, the United States Department of Agriculture released the 2023 Economic Research Report on Household Food Security. The newly released statistics detail a disturbing increase in food insecurity over the past year.  Jenique Jones, executive director of WhyHunger – a non-profit working to end world hunger and the injustices that cause it – issued the following statement:

“The USDA’s newly released 2023 Economic Research Report on Household Food Security, reveals a troubling rise in food insecurity. Over 47 million people, including 13.8 million children, struggled with hunger last year—an increase of 3.2 million from 2022. Communities of color continue to bear the brunt, with Black and Latinx households experiencing food insecurity at double the rate of White households.

These numbers cannot be normalized. The growing hunger crisis reflects deeper systemic issues—rising inflation, climate change, the rollback of post-pandemic relief, and a lack of living wages. We must call for bold action to address the root causes of hunger. It’s time for policies that support sustainable agriculture, local food economies, and initiatives led by the communities most affected. Universal basic income and equitable economic policies can help ensure that all people have access to nutritious food.

For nearly 50 years, WhyHunger has recognized and invested in those community-led solutions across our country that are critical to turning the tide on hunger.

Our collective effort to end hunger must be one that’s people-centric and addresses the longstanding systemic inequities at the root. When 1 in 5 children in our country are struggling to get enough to eat, we must get real about the larger underlying issues.
It’s up to us. Working together we can address the issue of hunger and other injustices and transform our food system for the better to ensure people and planet are nourished. When we value people over profits, we stand to see a future that is just and hunger-free, for all.”

About WhyHunger

Founded in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and radio DJ Bill Ayres, WhyHunger funds and supports community solutions to protect the human right to food. In nearly five decades of innovation and evolution, our programs and our grassroots partners in 24 countries have expanded agricultural practices that are better for the planet, helped communities address the root causes of hunger, and ensured access to nutritious food for millions of people. As a grassroots support organization, we stand behind the leadership of the people most impacted by hunger and injustice. We prioritize providing resources to support the rights of communities who have been historically excluded from defining and controlling their food systems. We advocate for workers’ rights and champion agroecological food production that unites science and sustainability with Indigenous knowledge and wisdom. Together we can build socially and economically just food systems that nourish all people and the environment. Learn more at whyhunger.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.