One in Four California Families Can't Afford Food for Their Kids

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/08/20

SAN FRANCISCO -- One in four California households with children reported food hardship, according to a new analysis of Gallup data released last Thursday by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC).

“It’s disturbing, but not surprising,” said Kelly Hardy, director of health policy at Children Now.

The report analyzed data gathered as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index project’s responses to the question: “Have there been times in the past 12 months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?”

“It sends a clear signal of economic distress, particularly for families with children,” noted James Weill, president of FRAC. “The answers to the question reveal there are times that these families are going without eating a meal, or the parents are skipping a meal for their children, or children are skipping meals.”

More at the link --

California is one of the most urbanized states, and even in the suburbs, single-family houses don't have much room for a garden. Much different from the situation in 1930, when 44% of the population was classified as 'rural'.

Food security is a lot different when you need money to buy it, and the option of growing your own doesn't exist.