Food insecurity has lasting effects on the lives of children. Children who experience food insecurity are at risk of hyperactivity and inattention and are more likely to experience mental health challenges as adults.
“I had to go to food banks, and that was so tough. It wrecked the quality of my children’s lives. It was awful. I was trying so hard after coming out of a difficult marriage. My daughter once said, ‘We’re just white trash, Mom. We’re eating from food banks.’”
- Research shows that adults think they’re doing a better job of concealing their lack of food from their children than they really are. Kids employ their own strategies to deal with food insecurity, such as eating less at meal time or asking their siblings not to snack.
“If we go somewhere that serves food, my son will want a snack. I make sure he’s fed before, but he’ll keep saying, ‘I’m hungry, I’m hungry.’ I get so embarrassed because I think people assume I’m not feeding him. We can’t afford that food out though.”