America Eats Its Young (And Some Of Its Old)
One out of every 13 California seniors aged 50 or older is at risk of hunger, according to a recent report the AARP Foundation (American Association of Retired Persons) reviewed in the Bay Citizen. However, according to the Columbus Dispatch, a similar number (7.5%) of seniors is at risk of hunger nationally. There has been a 79% increase in elder hunger over the past decade, with the greatest increase occurring between 2007 and 2009.
The seniors who are most at risk, not surprisingly, are the poor, blacks and Latinos, and those with few family connections. According to the Dispatch, only 2% of white seniors faced constant hunger, while 7% of black seniors did.
As disturbing as these numbers are, it is important to place them into the proper context. According to the USDA, 85.5% of American households were food secure throughout the