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More than 35 million Americans suffered from hunger in 2019 and the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 increased the number of people who face food insecurity up to 42 million (Feeding America, 2021). To put it more explicitly, every sixth person in the US has no food to eat at least once a year (McMillan, n.d.) These figures are shocking because the US is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Furthermore, the problem is exacerbated by the fact that food insecurity is experienced not only by the homeless and unemployed but by working American citizens. The current essay discusses the causes of this social crisis and presents several steps that could be taken to tackle this urgent problem.
The modern phenomenon of hunger, or food insecurity, in the US, differs from one that existed in the times of the Great Depression. Ironically, an employed and even obese adult might lack food regularly. Even though this situation sounds illogical, it could be easily explained. The critical reason for food insecurity among citizens who work full-time is that the earnings are not high enough to cover all the bills and food purchases. The reason for obesity among people who struggle with the lack of food is that they could afford only cheap products, most of which are “filling but not nutritious and may actually contribute to obesity” (McMillan, n.d., para. 9). The problem is exacerbated if a person has a family and should feed not only himself or herself but also a spouse and children, as presented in the case of Christina Dreier.
Another side of the malnourishment problem is that fresh and healthy food prices are too high, and people with small wages could afford only cheap fast food full of fat and carbs and lacks fiber, vitamins, and minerals. What is more, poor people might work hard all day long and have no time to cook food at home; they have to eat fast food while walking simply because nearby there are no grocery stores where healthy food can be purchase even if they have money for it (McMillan, n.d.). Such places where people cannot buy food are called food deserts and contribute to food insecurity in the US.
The government does not ignore the situation and implements assistance programs to take care of people who have to choose between paying the bills and purchasing eating products. For example, McMillan (n.d.) presents the case of the Jefferson family that consists of 15 members and lives in a four-bedroom house with desktop computers and TVs in every room. The problem is that only three members of this family receive salaries. Still, this money is not enough to feed all the relatives. For this reason, every month, Jeffersons receive $125 in food stamps (McMillan, n.d.). This case differs from the one mentioned above because the primary problem is not the lack of food per se but the uncertainty of the ability to have the next meal. More precisely, this means that the family of Dreiers has little food to eat because it is too expensive for them. The second family, in its turn, is never sure that the existing supply of food will be enough to feed everyone during the month. That is because ten children are always hungry and sometimes exceed the daily limits of how much could be eaten.
Overall, the major problem is that even though the government indeed tries to solve the issue of hunger through the provision of food stamps, the quality and quantity of such food are depressing. The American government could undertake several steps to fix the problem. Firstly, the government should invest not only in the producers of corn and soy, which are the main components of fast food, but also in manufacturers that grow fruits and vegetables. This strategy will enable the producers of fruits and vegetables to lower their costs in the supermarket and, hence, make them affordable for people with low incomes.
The second strategy that could be recommended to the American administration deals with the problem of low monthly incomes. Currently, the federal minimum wage equals $7.25 per hour. The experience shows that it is too low to help people stay fed with nourishing and healthy products on a daily basis. Consequently, politicians should think about how to raise the minimum wage at least twice. This could be done, for example, through subsidizing companies where the salaries of employees do not exceed the minimal size proclaimed by the federal government.
To conclude, the issue of food insecurity in the US is extremely complex because it is faced not only by the people who live in poverty but also by the representatives of the middle class. This problem is caused by low wages, high prices for fresh food, and the absence of grocery stores in some areas. Even though the government provides food stamps for those who need them, more should be done to eradicate hunger. The US administration should invest more in agriculture and increase the minimum wage.
References
Feeding America (2021). Hunger in America. Web.
McMillan, T. (n.d.). The new face of hunger.National Geographic Magazine. Web.
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