Hunger is no longer a word
Nov. 21st, 2006 02:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gayathrihttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/11/20/EDG22MFCBV1.DTL
USDA sociologist Mark Nord, the author of the report, claims that the term "hungry" is "not a scientifically accurate term for the specific phenomenon being measured in the food security survey. We don't have a measure of that condition."
The USDA will now use the term "very low food security" to describe people who used to be considered "food insecure with hunger." Statistically speaking, hunger will no longer exist in America.
P told me about this a few days ago, as he's doing assessments of people who are in situations with "Very low food security", i.e. homeless or working poor.
Read the article, its a little more complicated then the US Gov't wants to remove the word 'hunger' from its vocabulary, but more about how there really ISNT a measure of how many people go to bed hungry in this, the richest country in the world.
On another note, I am always thinking, as the holidays come by, how its THIS time of year that people go and volunteer, but how its likely that in January, or February, or even later, that they can't find people to help out in soup kitchens, or food banks. I was thinking of during the new year, hosting maybe a monthly dinner party where friends can come together and the 'entrance fee' is canned food, or maybe toiletries, etc, to give to our local charities, who may have too much now, and too little later.
This years little charity for me was carrying granola bars and water for various homeless guys who beg on the onramps. I suspect in one case, I'm the only person who ever talks to him while waiting for the light to change.
I feel like a Xmas in June party might be a cool idea for my birthday, but I'm still mulling that over. Maybe rent a hall and have a dance party and invite the various 'communities' to join me for my birfday. :) (and use this as a way to raise awareness about hunger or poverty in our own neighborhoods.)
USDA sociologist Mark Nord, the author of the report, claims that the term "hungry" is "not a scientifically accurate term for the specific phenomenon being measured in the food security survey. We don't have a measure of that condition."
The USDA will now use the term "very low food security" to describe people who used to be considered "food insecure with hunger." Statistically speaking, hunger will no longer exist in America.
P told me about this a few days ago, as he's doing assessments of people who are in situations with "Very low food security", i.e. homeless or working poor.
Read the article, its a little more complicated then the US Gov't wants to remove the word 'hunger' from its vocabulary, but more about how there really ISNT a measure of how many people go to bed hungry in this, the richest country in the world.
On another note, I am always thinking, as the holidays come by, how its THIS time of year that people go and volunteer, but how its likely that in January, or February, or even later, that they can't find people to help out in soup kitchens, or food banks. I was thinking of during the new year, hosting maybe a monthly dinner party where friends can come together and the 'entrance fee' is canned food, or maybe toiletries, etc, to give to our local charities, who may have too much now, and too little later.
This years little charity for me was carrying granola bars and water for various homeless guys who beg on the onramps. I suspect in one case, I'm the only person who ever talks to him while waiting for the light to change.
I feel like a Xmas in June party might be a cool idea for my birthday, but I'm still mulling that over. Maybe rent a hall and have a dance party and invite the various 'communities' to join me for my birfday. :) (and use this as a way to raise awareness about hunger or poverty in our own neighborhoods.)
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no subject
Date: 2006-11-21 10:34 pm (UTC)Mostly I wanted to say "yay, you" about the granola bars & water. I used to do that in CA too, and D always made fun of me for my nutrigrain bars. Screw that, its got a decent amount of holding power and its very portable so I always had them!
I love the idea of your dinner party/entrance fee thing.
no subject
Date: 2006-11-22 09:11 pm (UTC)