(BPT) - – When thinking about childhood hunger, many people envision poverty-stricken regions on another continent, far from home. However, millions of children right here in the United States don’t know where their next meal will come from. It’s called “food insecurity,” and it’s a big problem in communities across the country.
Nearly 50 million Americans, including more than 16 million children and teens younger than 18, live with food insecurity, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). High poverty rates, significant unemployment and rising gas prices are all contributing to the difficulty many families have in putting food on the table.
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