Hunger and poverty in America

Facts about poverty and hunger in America

• According to the Census, in 2021, nearly 38 million people lived in poverty.
• Food insecurity and hunger are economic issues. The most common cause of food insecurity is a lower income.
• Making ends meet with a lower income is more difficult if you are unemployed or employed in low-wage work, experience a financial emergency, have limited savings, and rent rather than own your home.
• Communities of color, especially Black communities, experience hunger, poverty, and unemployment at much higher rates than white people. This is because of long-standing racial injustice that leads to barriers in education, employment, housing, and more.
• People with a disability and chronic conditions are also more likely to experience hunger and lower incomes. Living with a disability or chronic condition may lead to higher medical costs, prevent people from working regularly, or make grocery shopping more difficult. And people living with disabilities face discrimination in employment.