Members of our nation’s armed forces may face their toughest battle right here at home: hunger.

A new Defense Commissary Agency report shows that military use of SNAP benefits (formerly Food Stamps) is twice that of civilians. A military.com article reports that more than $31 million worth of food stamps were used at commissaries nationwide in 2008, an increase of more than 25 percent since 2007. Although SNAP participation generally follows the economy—as the economy goes down, participation goes up—the increase in military usage contrasts starkly with the overall increase in SNAP participation of just 13 percent.

SNAP is the cornerstone of the federal government’s nutrition safety net. In addition to supplementing low-income households’ diets through the provision of funds that can be used to purchase food at grocery stores, SNAP also has a nutrition education component which helps families make informed decisions about healthy eating.

Feed The Children supports a strong federal nutrition safety net led by SNAP, the largest and most expansive of the USDA-administered programs. At the same time, however, Feed The Children will also continue its efforts to bring food and personal care items to low-income families across the country. Getting all Americans through these difficult times requires a partnership between charitable feeding programs and government assistance.

Ask most people what “insecurity” means and you’ll probably get an easy answer. Self-conscious, unconfident, anxious and ashamed are just a few of the words that come to mind.

But ask most people what “food insecurity” means and you’ll likely get some funny looks. It is not a phrase that has made its way into our everyday vocabulary just yet. But food insecurity has nonetheless made its way into the lives of 36 million Americans.

The U.S. government defines food insecure households as those who experience hunger or who are at risk of hunger. Over 12 million children in the U.S. live in food insecure households—that’s one in six American children—without regular access to a nutritious or adequate diet.

For many Americans, food insecurity means not knowing if, after you pay your bills, there will be any money left over for food. And for children in food insecure households, this can create a profound and lasting sense of fear.

We think the challenges of adolescence are enough; no child should ever have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.

Last week, CNN provided a moving look at the struggles Michiganians are facing. As of July, Michigan’s unemployment rate was 16%, the highest in the nation.

Unemployment and poverty are closely linked; jointly, they have wreaked havoc on Michiganians—and all too often on its most vulnerable citizens. It is estimated that 500,000 thousand children in the state live in poverty. With the manufacturing-based economy in shambles, continuing job loss, and state budget cuts, there is no end in sight. An estimated 90,000 people in the state will exhaust their unemployment benefits before the end of the year. More and more people are struggling—and charities that serve Michigan’s growing low-income population, including food banks, church pantries, and soup kitchens are buckling under the pressure of increased demand.

Michiganians who are struggling are lucky to have loyal friends in the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons Care Telethon, a 17-hour event that raised more than $450,000 in pledges March 11th, provides funding for ongoing food drops. Overall, more than 25,000 families have been provided for in the state of Michigan and truck deliveries are scheduled through December 2009.

Wherever the need may be, Feed The Children will be there—and thanks to the Pistons and their loyal fans, our continued work is possible.