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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums25% of children in US don’t have enough food to eat- The Wars need to be cancelled immediately
Child poverty in America is at its highest point in 20 years, putting millions of children at increased risk of injuries, infant mortality, and premature death, according to a policy analysis published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
As the U.S. emerges from the worst recession since the Great Depression, 25% of children dont have enough food to eat and 7 million kids still dont have health insurance, the analysis says. Even worse: Five children die daily by firearms, and one dies every seven hours from abuse or neglect.
It shouldnt be this hard for kids to grow and thrive in the worlds richest, most powerful nation, co-author Bruce Lesley, president of the Washington-based child advocacy organization First Focus, said in a written statement.
lRelated Improved parenting may fortify low-income kids against poverty effects
The report -- co-written with Dr. Glenn Flores, professor of pediatrics at University of Texas Southwestern -- notes that although 24% of Americans are children, only 12% of the National Institutes of Healths 2013 budget was devoted to pediatric research.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-child-poverty-20141021-story.html
I don't care what fucking excuse they have for wasting America's wealth 'helping' people in other countries...
25% of our children are starving!
What. The. FUCK!
This is a national emergency
How dare we pretend to be helping other people while we let our children starve.
Where are the prolifers?
This is unbelievable and unacceptable!
We need to tell them this is unacceptable!@!
samsingh
(17,601 posts)J_J_
(1,213 posts)I expect our government to focus on this national emergency now!
1/10th of the money being wasted on Iraq every month could be put into government cheese etc.
The food industry is overcharging- time to return to direct food from the farmers.
A tiny percentage of what they are wasting would feed everyone.
Then I expect them to focus on the cause of this problem.
Cancel free trade agreements which have all of our wealth going to Communist China who has now overtaken our economy.
Focus on returning jobs by increasing tariffs.
We had tariffs for a reason.
The other 9/10ths of the money that Congress has no problem allocating for war,
can instead be put into creating jobs through
infrastructure repairs and new alternative energy programs.
This is what we should be demanding. We have lowered our expectations way too far. No one even expects them to work for US anymore. We are stuck in learned helplessness.
samsingh
(17,601 posts)would have been more than enough to get rid of homelessness, give everyone healthcare, eliminate poverty. Yet before those events, we were told there was no money.
FrodosPet
(5,169 posts)Can you hook me up with a weekly ride out to some farms? Or better, go for me? I will throw you a couple bucks for your time and trouble.
I have 2 grocery stores within walking distance. But a good broad spectrum farm is not quite so close.
SamKnause
(13,110 posts)Many disabled people do not have enough to eat.
Many veterans do not have enough to eat.
Many seniors do not have enough to eat.
Many who are unemployed do not have enough to eat.
Many who are underemployed do not have enough to eat.
Many who are underpaid do not have enough to eat.
Our corporate owned politicians continue to show where their loyalties lie.
Millions in every walk of life have real serious problems in this country right now.
We need to make them focus on solutions for US.
Feral Child
(2,086 posts)I guess I am wrong, this is acceptable to people
hardly anyone cares about this
Feral Child
(2,086 posts)It just isn't a juicy enough topic for the gossipers. Ebola and IS or combinations there-of are the hot topics du jour.
The topic is actually very important to lots of us, some just like to talk about Palin trash stories.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Remember the USA's motto: "Top Corporate Executives Before Grubby, Hungry Children"!
sakabatou
(42,176 posts)theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)I hope you won't mind if I use this post to do a bit of soliciting. The topic of poverty and hunger in Appalachia is one we have discussed in Appalachia group (as well as some other DU groups). This weekend I will be compiling a list of charities that help the most needy in that region. If you are a resident of Appalachia and know of a charity in your area, please look for my thread (pinned) this weekend at Appalachia group and share what information you have. Also, if you have served as a volunteer it would be great if you could share your knowledge and experience.
Certainly, hunger is a critical issue everywhere and it is to our national disgrace. Thanks for keeping this topic in the DU conversation.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)to get that number up to 50% or higher.
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)Because tonight, millions of children in this country will go to bed hungry.
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)Sickening.
K and R
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Algernon Moncrieff
(5,790 posts)The food and resources are largely there now. Notwithstanding the strain there has been on food pantries, there are still many retailers and food manufacturers who will kick in with food, and many non-governmental charities focus on addressing this specific issue.
1) Many people still don't sign their kids up for free/reduced lunch/go to their local food bank/go to their church to ask for food aid. Sometimes it's ignorance. A lot of times it's misguided pride.
2) Many kids are in bad/abusive family situations in which they don't attend a school or other institution that could identify the issue and help. Sometimes the parents are hiding abuse; sometimes they are neglectful due to addiction issues; sometimes they are highly transient; many times it's all of the above.
3) Where the money does come into play is that the social workers that are out there in both public sector and 501c3s are overworked and underpaid.
4) We're great at food banking dry goods and canned goods. Not so much with perishables. This is an example of an organization working to save perishable food and get it to hungry people http://savinggracefoodrescue.org/
ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)Throughout the world, hunger is a bigger threat than ISIS and Ebola combined.
flvegan
(64,416 posts)Want to end starvation? Start with your own fork.
Sorry for the inconvenience. Back to your regular programming and outrage.