Posted on 10/29/2005 9:12:02 AM PDT by Dubya
AUSTIN - A higher percentage of households in Texas were at risk of going hungry over the past three years than in any other state, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Agriculture Department. Between 2002 and 2004, more than 16 percent of Texas households were food insecure, meaning that at some point they had trouble providing enough food for all their family members, the USDA report said.
In nearly 5 percent of Texas households, at least one family member went hungry at least one time during that period because they couldn't afford enough food.
That's the fourth-highest rate in the country.
Nationwide, 11.4 percent of households were at risk of going hungry during that period, and 3.6 percent of U.S. households had at least one member go hungry, the USDA said.
While Texas consistently ranks among the top five states, this is the first time it leads the nation, said Celia Hagert, a senior policy analyst at the Austin-based Center for Public Policy Priorities, which advocates more state spending on education and social programs.
Texas was one of just nine states to see statistically significant increases in food insecurity and hunger rates when the USDA compared three-year average rates for 1999-2001 and 2002-2004.
An average of nearly 14 percent of Texas households were at risk for hunger between 1999 and 2001, and an average of 3.6 percent of Texas households experienced hunger.
Nationally, an average of 10.4 percent of households were at risk for hunger between 1999 and 2001, and an average of 3.1 percent of households experienced hunger.
It's them New Orleans refugees that did it. Where's my $2000 FEMA card?
Oh, please.
I just came back from Wal-Mart. There is enough fat there to feed a third world country.
I think what all this about is that people don't get a flat amount now and that as they go to work the amount is reduced. Receivers must re-apply , I think every 3 months, so it's not an automatic give anymore. The state has been working to cut as appropriate. They also have electronic cards instead of foodstamps. I wish they had to show id and purchases limited to certain items though. I see healthy looking males using them for drinks and lunch stuff at convience stores at times.
"Between 2002 and 2004, more than 16 percent of Texas households were food insecure, meaning that at some point they had trouble providing enough food for all their family members, the USDA report said.
In nearly 5 percent of Texas households, at least one family member went hungry at least one time during that period because they couldn't afford enough food."
Let me get this straight...Between 2002 and 2004 one family member went hungry one time.
And this is news?
Free ramen noodles for all the college kids.
The fattest hungry people, too.
BWHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!! HAHAHAAHA!!!!! This cannot be a serious article!!!!
Texas ranks in the top 10 in Obesity, with 25% of the population being obese, according to USDA, but some how 14% of our people are going without food too. Go figure.
I've known plenty of lower income people who sacrafice food for booze.
Hmmmmmmmmmm.
Let me state for the record...
At least one person in my family has gone hungry at one time or another constantly as long as I can remember ------- deliberately; Usually for something as trivial as having better things to do.
Does this make us part of the statistics?
Gheeez!
Last year, until my wife's disability checks came through, we had a real rough patch. My dear wife was actually planning meals based on dollars per calorie. (We made sure our daughter got the lion's share at meals.)
We both lost weight over those few months, which wasn't a bad thing! Tapped out the savings and took a chunk out of home equity, but we got through it. Never quite had to go begging.
Been hungry a few times over the years, back when I was a boy. I've actually foraged for cattail roots and dandelion greens to put food on the table. We ate whatever grew wild- leeks, elderberries, blackberries, windfall apples, crabapples, puffballs (don't try this at home.) Even in the worst of times, we had friends and family to fall back on. The folks who had extra venison or garden produce shared with the folks having trouble. One morning we found some canned goods and a bag of rice on the front steps- no note or anything. That's America the way it should be.
Meanwhile, the folks on welfare were buying garbage with their food stamps- frozen lobster egg rolls, sugary cereal, soda, coffee, etc.- then at the end of the month they'd go beg at the food pantries. They all got fat.
...I suspect it wasn't in or around a big city...
OUR poor folks are almost all fat. I mean FAT.
Except for the crackheads and that is a choice, no one makes them smoke that stuff they do it to themselves.
Allegany County in upstate NY- more dairy cows than people back in the '70s. Mom was raising me by herself, and made a little too much working to get any welfare benefits.
It would have been fine if you had sought help though. That's what it is there for. It's the people that make a career out of being dependent that I have concerns about.
I'm glad things are better for you. We were flat broke once when we first got married. I didn't have much left in the pantry so I made my husband peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. We were out of bread so I put the filling between 2 blueberry pancakes. He threw it away. He said he didn't know it was blueberry and thought it was molded. I guess we can add him to the list of missing a meal, huh?:')
You have to admit, that's a pretty objective thing to judge (least least when comparing statistical means, and not individuals).
I dont know ... I was driving the other day and the local radio host was reading it and giving comments. Dont know the source. He mentioned Houston (formerly the nations fattest city), Dallas, and San Antonio as among the nations fattest, and said Texas was the fattest State. Dont know where he got the source, it may be true I dont know. But I dont believe we have people starving to death here. We have fat poor people that Uncle Sam feeds if they just sign the form.
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