Hunger in America
Peace Alliance Broadsheet#2
Peace Alliance Broadsheet#2
Major Causes of Hunger in the United States
The actual supply of food in the U.S. Is not a major cause of hunger, though access to good food is. U.S. agriculture produces more than enough food to keep people from being hungry. The causes of hunger are:
--Low Income, Poverty, and Unstable Employment
--High Cost of Living (Housing, Utilities, Child Care)
--Gaps in the Safety Net (SNAP, WIC, School Meals)
--Health Problems, Disability, and Medical Costs
--Food "Deserts:
--Structural Racism and Discrimination
(Actually, racism and discrimination affect all of the above, including employment, housing, medical insurance, location of groceries, and pockets of poverty.)
What Can We Do?—Support food access: Volunteer/donate at food banks, pantries, school meals. (See list of food programs and pantries, following.)
—Fight to end homelessness, and support programs to aid the homeless.
—Join the movement for local food, including: community gardens, farmers’ markets, local food networks, gleaners.
—Cut food waste: Join food-rescue programs.
Beyond Chico
Lobby for:
--Expanded nutrition programs: State support for school means and senior nutrition.
—Protecting federal programs: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, WIC, school meals.
—Reforming farm policy: More support for fruits/vegetables, sustainable ag, and fair labor.
—Strengthening safety nets: Living wages, affordable housing, medical access.
—Supporting “housing first” and other programs for the homeless.
Agencies Helping Out in Chico
(Always in Need of Volunteers)
—Community Action Agency of Butte County – North State Food Bank /
(530) 712-2600 https://www.buttecaa.com/north-state-food-bank/
—Jesus Center.
530-345-2640
(530) 345-2640scenter.org
—Torres Community Shelter / True North Housing Alliance.
https://www.buttecaa.com/north-state-food-bank/
—2-1-1 Butte County (HelpCentral)
Dial 2-1-1 within Butte County Website directory: helpcentral.org
—CalFresh (Food Stamps)
Butte County: (877) 410-8803
Chico: (530) 879-3845
Oroville: (530) 538-7711
coveredcal.com
—Salvation Army
530-776-1009
https://chico.salvationarmy.org/
—South Chico Community Assistance Center
530-513-6889
[email protected]
—Butte County Local Food Network
bclocalfood.org
—530 Food Rescue Coalition
530.285.5757
https://530foodrescue.org/
Food Sources in Butte County
Monday-Friday
Chico Community Food Locker, 1386 Longfellow Avenue, Chico
9 am - noon 530-895-8331
Monday
Food Bank at Hope Commons Church, 1184 East Avenue, Chico
4:30 pm 530-342-1806
Tuesday
Chico Salvation Army, 567 East 16th Street, Chico
2-4 pm 530-776-1009
North State Food Bank, 2620 5th Avenue, Oroville
8:30 - 10:30 am 530-712-2600
Grand, Thermalito
8 - 10 am 530-712-2600
Food and Essentials
at the Hands, Chico, 5:30 pm
Chico Red Meals, Northstate Shelter Team,
Food not Bombs
Thursday
Magalia Community Church, 13700 Old Skyway, Magalia
11 am - 1:30 pm 530-877-7963
Friday
First Baptist Church, 6500 Clark Road, Paradise
Noon-4 pm 530-877-9923
Saturday
First Christian Church, 5738 Pentz Road, Paradise
11 am - 1 pm 530-877-9923
Sunday
Shalom Free Clinic, 1010 Mangrove Avenue, Chico
1-4 pm 530-342-2445
Sources and Further Reading
Healthy People 2023 odphp.health.gov/healthy people
Feeding America. feedingamercia.org
Food Research and Action Center. https://frac.org/hunger-poverty-america
The Chico Peace Alliance "Broadsheet" series provides concise discussions of current issues, including dispelling myths, describing conditions, and providing resources and links for helping us engage in solving problems.
The actual supply of food in the U.S. Is not a major cause of hunger, though access to good food is. U.S. agriculture produces more than enough food to keep people from being hungry. The causes of hunger are:
--Low Income, Poverty, and Unstable Employment
--High Cost of Living (Housing, Utilities, Child Care)
--Gaps in the Safety Net (SNAP, WIC, School Meals)
--Health Problems, Disability, and Medical Costs
--Food "Deserts:
--Structural Racism and Discrimination
(Actually, racism and discrimination affect all of the above, including employment, housing, medical insurance, location of groceries, and pockets of poverty.)
What Can We Do?—Support food access: Volunteer/donate at food banks, pantries, school meals. (See list of food programs and pantries, following.)
—Fight to end homelessness, and support programs to aid the homeless.
—Join the movement for local food, including: community gardens, farmers’ markets, local food networks, gleaners.
—Cut food waste: Join food-rescue programs.
Beyond Chico
Lobby for:
--Expanded nutrition programs: State support for school means and senior nutrition.
—Protecting federal programs: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, WIC, school meals.
—Reforming farm policy: More support for fruits/vegetables, sustainable ag, and fair labor.
—Strengthening safety nets: Living wages, affordable housing, medical access.
—Supporting “housing first” and other programs for the homeless.
Agencies Helping Out in Chico
(Always in Need of Volunteers)
—Community Action Agency of Butte County – North State Food Bank /
(530) 712-2600 https://www.buttecaa.com/north-state-food-bank/
—Jesus Center.
530-345-2640
(530) 345-2640scenter.org
—Torres Community Shelter / True North Housing Alliance.
https://www.buttecaa.com/north-state-food-bank/
—2-1-1 Butte County (HelpCentral)
Dial 2-1-1 within Butte County Website directory: helpcentral.org
—CalFresh (Food Stamps)
Butte County: (877) 410-8803
Chico: (530) 879-3845
Oroville: (530) 538-7711
coveredcal.com
—Salvation Army
530-776-1009
https://chico.salvationarmy.org/
—South Chico Community Assistance Center
530-513-6889
[email protected]
—Butte County Local Food Network
bclocalfood.org
—530 Food Rescue Coalition
530.285.5757
https://530foodrescue.org/
Food Sources in Butte County
Monday-Friday
Chico Community Food Locker, 1386 Longfellow Avenue, Chico
9 am - noon 530-895-8331
Monday
Food Bank at Hope Commons Church, 1184 East Avenue, Chico
4:30 pm 530-342-1806
Tuesday
Chico Salvation Army, 567 East 16th Street, Chico
2-4 pm 530-776-1009
North State Food Bank, 2620 5th Avenue, Oroville
8:30 - 10:30 am 530-712-2600
Grand, Thermalito
8 - 10 am 530-712-2600
Food and Essentials
at the Hands, Chico, 5:30 pm
Chico Red Meals, Northstate Shelter Team,
Food not Bombs
Thursday
Magalia Community Church, 13700 Old Skyway, Magalia
11 am - 1:30 pm 530-877-7963
Friday
First Baptist Church, 6500 Clark Road, Paradise
Noon-4 pm 530-877-9923
Saturday
First Christian Church, 5738 Pentz Road, Paradise
11 am - 1 pm 530-877-9923
Sunday
Shalom Free Clinic, 1010 Mangrove Avenue, Chico
1-4 pm 530-342-2445
Sources and Further Reading
Healthy People 2023 odphp.health.gov/healthy people
Feeding America. feedingamercia.org
Food Research and Action Center. https://frac.org/hunger-poverty-america
The Chico Peace Alliance "Broadsheet" series provides concise discussions of current issues, including dispelling myths, describing conditions, and providing resources and links for helping us engage in solving problems.