More American children are going to bed hungry than at any time in recent history. And the problem is getting worse. A new study by Washington University professor and poverty expert Mark Rank, Ph.D., finds that 49% of all children in the U.S. will be on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps, at some point in their childhood. For African-American children, the number is closer to 90%.

Childhood should be a time of healthy growth, play, and learning, but as Dr. Rank says, “Rather than being a time of security and safety, the childhood years for many American children are a time of economic turmoil, risk, and hardship.”

Poor or inadequate nutrition can cause irreversible damage to a child’s brain and psychosocial development, physical growth, and behavior. Dr. Rank says, “Food stamp use is a clear sign of poverty and food insecurity, two of the most detrimental economic conditions affecting a child’s health.” Thanks to a sputtering economy, the health of our nation’s children is at risk as more children are at risk of hunger.

That’s why Feed The Children exists. We work every day to provide hunger relief to the children in our midst. Our Americans Feeding Americans Emergency Caravan™ continues to roll. We’ve increased the number of food drops with local churches and community organizations to the highest level in Feed The Children’s history. Dr. Rank’s study gives hard evidence to what we’re seeing – more kids and their families needing food assistance than ever before. We will continue this fight against childhood hunger until we no longer have to.

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