Hunger Awareness

Floor Speech

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to speak on behalf of the over 50 million people, including over 17 million children in the United States, who face the day not knowing if they will have enough to eat.

Millions of families live each day not knowing if and how they will put food on the table.

Rather than thinking about what the next meal will be, these parents worry if there will be a next meal.

Rather than concentrate on homework, these children are trying not to think about their hunger pangs.

According to the USDA in 2010, 14.5 percent of households--or 1 in 6 Americans--experienced hunger. This is the highest level of hunger in our Nation since the government began tracking food insecurity in 1995.

No State or county is immune to the reality of hunger. In Illinois' three wealthiest congressional districts an average of 13.2 percent of people--or nearly 281,000 people--experienced hunger in 2009.

Hunger is a reality in all of our communities. We see it in the long lines at our food pantries. We have heard from seniors forced to choose between groceries and medication. And children are in our schools who have not had a decent meal since the previous day's school lunch.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported this month that more than 1.82 million people lived in poverty in Illinois last year. That's up from 1.69 million in 2009--making 2010 the third straight year the poverty rate in Illinois has risen.

According to Feeding America in Illinois, nearly 1.9 million people--including over 740,000 children--are food insecure and often rely on safety net programs for their next meal.

Hunger is a symptom of poverty, and where this is poverty we see greater demand for emergency food programs and support. Federal food assistance programs have responded to the growing need by helping low and middle-class families, children, and seniors maintain a healthy diet.

Throughout the country, food banks and pantries that rely on Federal assistance are the front line of the fight against hunger--providing emergency food assistance to hungry families.

Unfortunately, business at food banks has never been better. Over the past 2 years, Illinois food banks have seen a 50 percent increase in requests for food assistance. In 2009, Illinois food banks provided food to 1 in 10 residents.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, is one of the Nation's most important antihunger programs. SNAP has provided over 46 million Americans with essential food assistance.

In Illinois, 1.8 million people--that is 1 in 7 residents--rely on SNAP benefits to buy the food they need.

The benefits of SNAP reach far beyond helping households maintain a healthy diet. SNAP is a powerful tool in fighting poverty, and has lifted nearly 2.5 million children out of poverty, more than any other government program.

According to the USDA's Economic Research Service, $5 of SNAP benefits can generate $9 in economic activity through retail demand, farm production, and jobs.

At a time when families are having trouble making ends meet, food stamps meet a basic human need.

The people using food banks or food stamps to get by are people you know--your neighbor and coworker.

I recently heard from a single mother of a 4-year old daughter who receives emergency food assistance from the Eastern Illinois Food Bank.

This young mother is also a full-time college student, who plans to use her education to provide a better life for her family.

Without the extra support from food stamps, this woman says she would have to drop out of college and work at a minimum wage job just to make ends meet.

She credits food stamps for not only providing food assistance, but for allowing her to get an education so she can move her family out of poverty.

As Congress works to rein in our Nation's debt, we will hear from all sides. The millions of Americans who rely on safety net antihunger programs like SNAP will not have the loudest voice in the debate or big PR firms, but we can't forget them.

We must protect Federal food assistance programs. These programs are not a giveaway or a handout. They are strengthening our economy and improving the lives of vulnerable families, children, and seniors at their time of need.

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