Hunger 101
What is Hunger? And, who is experiencing it?
Hunger is a condition in which people do not get enough food to provide the nutrients for fully productive, active lives. Hunger, food insecurity, and poverty are all inextricably linked in our community and we are living in times where it is getting harder and harder for families to make ends meet.
Poverty is also on the rise it’s estimated that over 777,089 individuals in Cook County live in poverty this is up from five years ago when 713,040 lived in poverty. As a result, many people are finding themselves skipping meals or cutting back on the quality or quantity of food they purchase for themselves and their families. Many families also have to make the difficult choice of choosing to buy food or pay for housing or medicine.
In 2006, it was found that 31 percent of households that the Greater Chicago Food Depository serves have had to make the choice between buying food and paying for housing. Additionally, 26 percent of the households served have also had to make the choice between buying food and paying for healthcare.
Hunger 101
In just a few minutes, you can walk in someone else’s shoes and experience what it is like to struggle with poverty and hunger. In this program, you will take on the role of a low-income person living in Cook County. Your challenge? To manage your resources and get enough food to feed you and your family—at a simulated grocery store, soup kitchen or food stamp office.
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Activity Workbook
Hunger 101 works as a tool to help increase awareness of hunger and poverty. It focuses on identifying populations at risk for hunger, the causes and effects of hunger, and strategies to address hunger.
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Presentation
Along with the Hunger 101 Workbook, the Hunger 101 Presentation is used to engage, educate and empower students, youth groups, civic organizations and corporations.
