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Help Support a Free Supply of Food in America and Stop Hunger
By: Richard Jordan

The question is simple, should we have a system in America that is free to all individuals? We have tried to make one for healthcare, education, etc. Why not a free supply of food for everyone? In this day and age, more people are beginning to stand up and help other people in need all across the globe. I feel strongly that the U.S. should stand up as a whole and make a system for our country with these same ideals. Let's face it, food is a necessary part for life to prosper. Without it, humanity in this world would crumble. The idea of a capitalistic country is rooted too deep in this country's past and future, and I feel as though just as it is trying to drive us forward it is also destroying us internally. Without some sort of backbone to support these ideals, we may soon break for all the world to see.

Time For a Change

The reason that the current food system we have needs changed is for the need for advancement and growth in our country. Without getting political about it, this country was born on change and also with the idea to make an impact on the way of life. Just as our government feeds the troops it sends off, it should also provide for the citizens it protects. The government states that it tries to protect us from threats; well although unconventional, hunger and malnutrition is also a threat they should protect its citizens from. The driving force behind the economy is the citizens, and the government should take a couple steps back and realize the burden they really carry. Making way for a distribution system of free food could pave the way in other advancements. Why you ask? Simply put, with the everyday burden of obtaining food relieved, it will give more time from people for other activities. While straining the already broken pockets of the federal government to support such an endeavor, it will, in effect, give a return revenue in other needed areas of development for our country. If an end to hunger could be resolved from one person, I would even be willing to elect Donald Trump for office if he could do it!

Poverty and Hunger in the U.S. and Around the World

Poverty is and always will be increasing in the world today so long as the systems the world's governments have in place stay in place. Giving food to all people is one way to change the concept and impact of poverty by removing the need for money to purchase a necessity. In statistics for 2009, 43.6 million people were in poverty in just the US alone (U.S. Census Bureau). In the most recently available year for data, 1.4 billion people in 2005 still live in poverty in developing countries (qtd. in Bread For the World). Out of all of the poverty stricken people, an estimated 925 million recorded by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization in 2010 are considered 'undernourished' while roughly 19 million of those people in developed countries are also considered the same (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). Those 'undernourished' people constitute 3 times the size of the U.S.'s current census! Not only that, but an estimated 16,000 children a day die from hunger related causes! A death every 5 seconds is quite a lot to take in especially when talking about children (qtd. in Bread For The World).

You may ask, do we produce the needed food to feed everyone? In fact, the world produces more than enough food to feed everyone right now. The chief reasons some countries have problems is due to scarce land and money issues (World Hunger Education Service). From Economy Watch this was stated: "In discussing the crisis, the FAO states that the fact that hunger levels had already started rising again suggests there are structural problems - i.e. there is something wrong with our system of producing, managing and distributing food that needs to change to meet growing demand levels" (Nasser, Juan). If the FAO is stating this, there must be something wrong with our current system!

If you go to the local supermarkets in your local area that can be evidence enough that there should be no problem feeding people in a developed nation such as the U.S. So, where is the problem in our country? To say that people here do not suffer from hunger would be a lie. To also say that we suffer from it more than other countries wouldn't be true, but the problems of hunger still remain in our country as well. Don't let the idea of industrialization confuse you; America is still facing hunger problems. It's not because of a lack of food or bad harvests (as stated above) but more of a lack of support due to the rising costs for food and the declining level of support from lower level jobs in the U.S. (Bread For The World et al).

Reasons why more hunger is not seen as of yet:

• Without government forms of assistance, many more working families would be struggling to put food on the table and pay for other expenses such as: housing, utilities, health care, child care, transportation, etc. Many families are inevitably forced to survive by living under an increasing pile of debt (Bread For The World).


• Another reason you don't see a larger amount of a hunger crisis in this country and other industrialized nations is due to the support from organizations such as the Sodexo Foundation, Feeding America, Bread For the World, etc. in averting these and other crises.

Taking a step forward and giving food to everyone in our country could help start a widespread renovation in the way other countries look at handling the supply of food. Let our country become the forefront of change.

Hunger Eradication

The time is now. Make a move and help the people and the world around you. Don't continue to let the 17 million children at risk of hunger in the U.S. become forgotten (Sodexo Foundation). If more people gave thought to a freer economy for food, then there may be a change that could spark widespread help and save many people from the poverty they live in. Many organizations are out there already trying to give a helping hand in the matter, but I feel it is in the country's hands as a whole and not just one organization's work that will give the change we need. Regardless of who or why they are in need, why not try to help them rather than hurt them by doing nothing? Giving thought and consideration to a proposal such as this not only benefits others, but it can also benefit you. Wouldn't you like to not have to pay for certain food items? A free food supply for everyone is what is needed for the US to advance even further.

Appeal to any and all people how you feel about the matter to stop hunger. Speak to your congressmen, other political figures, leaders in your community, and neighbors letting them know how you feel about the issues on hunger and help spread the word for change in the supply of food. So long as there is change happening there is a chance to save another life from hunger. If the estimated 300 million residents in our country came together to discuss this topic, a plan to change this system could surely be found.

The End Result

The choice is yours. Help to end poverty and hunger, or sit back and watch and listen about countless others die meaningless deaths. Saving just one of those many may become the answer to another one of life's mysteries yet unsolved. You never know of the chaos that will ensue from your decisions. One event is more than enough to cause a butterfly effect as some call it. However, one thing is clear, without that helping hand others in the chaos of your decision may just turn a blind eye to the situation. Let there be freedom for food on everyone's plates in America!

About the Author

Richard Jordan is a college student attending Westmoreland County Community College. This article was provided as a requirement for the Advanced Composition course.

"An avid cook, I decided to join this blog out of curiosity. I love food and thought that expressing that love in my writing is something I can do in this class."

Currently seeking a degree in Computer Programming, expecting to graduate with it in the end of the summer 2011 semester.

Bibliography

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO). 2011. United Nations. 25 Mar. 2011 http://www.fao.org/.

U.S. Census Bureau. Carmen DeNavas-Walt, B. Proctor, C. Lee. Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007.

Sodexo Foundation. 25 Mar. 2011 http://www.sodexofoundation.org/hunger_us/mission/mission.asp.

Bread For The World. 2011. 25 Mar. 2011 http://www.bread.org/.

Feeding America. 2011. 25 Mar. 2011 http://feedingamerica.org/.

Nasser, Juan. "World Poverty Rising: Over 1 Billion People Hungry in 2009." Economy Watch. 23 Oct. 2009. 25 Mar. 2011 http://www.economywatch.com/economy-business-and-finance-news/world-poverty-rising-over-1-billion-people-hungry-in-2009-23-10.html.

World Hunger Education Service. "2011 World Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics." Hunger Notes. 6 Mar. 2011. 25 Mar. 2011 http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm.