Ending Hunger in America, 2014 Hunger Report Full Report | Page 16

A 50 Percent Reduction by 2023

Stock photo

Waitresses and
waiters are paid a
subminimum wage of
$2.13 per hour. They
have not had a wage
increase since 1991.

6? Executive Summary

We can cut hunger and poverty in half in the United States within a decade. We know
it is possible. All we need to do is look at how other countries have done it. It’s not only
developed countries with living standards similar to those in the United States, such as those
in Scandinavia or parts of Western Europe, which have reduced hunger within their borders.
Countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have also done it.
Progress against poverty and hunger is more difficult in low-income countries because they
have fewer resources. The infrastructure needed to make progress
sustainable is often lacking. The
fact that many countries have made
progress despite all the obstacles is
a testament to what is possible when
political leaders make a bold public
commitment and are willing to be
held accountable for fulfilling it.
By itself, returning to full
employment might make it possible to cut hunger in half within a
decade. But economic downturns
are all but inevitable. We all know
people who have fallen on hard
times—lost a job, suffered an illness,
or seen their retirement savings disappear in a recession. And there are
people who are not able to work—elderly people, people with disabilities, children. Bias and
discrimination still keep people unemployed or underemployed. This is the world’s wealthiest
country and most of us are compassionate, fair-minded people. We should support each other
through life’s ups and downs. Sustainable reductions in hunger on the order of 50 percent or
more will depend on strengthening the safety net and investing in human capital.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) is the
nation’s flagship nutrition program and the main safety net preventing families from going
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