For a lot of us, the biggest stress around mealtime is deciding what to eat, never doubting that we will eat again.

But for more than 42 million Americans, the next meal isn’t a sure thing.

Because we live in one of the richest countries in the world, many Americans mistakenly believe that hunger isn’t a problem on our shores, but that just isn’t the case. Below, we share five startling facts about hunger in America.

1.  “Hunger” and “food insecurity” are not the same.

You may have heard these two words used interchangeably, but they actually have different meanings.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), hunger is a physical feeling that involves a craving for food or a specific nutrient, whereas people experiencing food insecurity are people whose eating patterns are disrupted because they don’t have enough money and other resources for food.

Source: USDA

 

 

2.  Rates of food insecurity in rural areas are usually higher than urban areas.

15% of rural households (around 2.8 million households) are food insecure.

Source: Feeding America

 

 

 

 

3.  Food insecurity exists in every county in the United States.

The county with the lowest rate of food insecurity is Loudon County, Virginia (4%). The county with the highest rate is Jefferson County, Mississippi (38%).

Source: Feeding America

 

 

 

 

4.  42.2 million Americans live in food insecure households.

13.1 million are children.

Source: Feeding America

 

 

 

 

5.  1 in 7 Americans go to bed hungry each night.

And an increasing number of them are working families who are poor and people who are elderly.

Source: CNBC.com

 

 

 

 

Hunger can be overwhelming to think about, but during Poverty Awareness Month, we urge you to help where you can, whether you are able to donate time or money, advocate locally or by writing a letter to congress, or even offering to cook a warm meal for a family that may need it.