One in six Americans are experiencing hunger - and the number is rising - as COVID-19 continues to increase unemployment and poverty.
The U.S. - with a gross domestic product of $21.4 trillion in 2019 - must now contend with millions of its 328 million population as "food insecure."
Feeding America, the largest antihunger organization in the U.S., estimates the number of food insecure Americans this year at more than 50 million - including 17 million children. This is equivalent to one in six Americans and one in four children - a 50% increase from 2019.
Poverty in the U.S. is also rising as the federal government's pandemic aid stops despite a need for government money from poor families.
Research shows more than 8 million Americans have fallen into poverty since May. Most of these are children and minorities.
Last week, almost 900,000 Americans filed new claims for jobless benefits - the most since August.
Americans are finding relief at neighborhood pantries and nonprofit food banks. Food banks are doling out meals at record pace. There has been a rise in the amount of food distributed compared with 2019.
Pam Denholm, executive director of the Weymouth Food Pantry in Weymouth, Massachusetts, said the pressure on pantries like hers had greatly increased since March.
"The demand has increased dramatically," according to Denholm. "All across America we have these middle class communities that are being deeply affected."
The number of first timers at food banks, typically middle-class Americans thrown out of work and living day-to-day, is increasing.
Denholm said lines at her food banks were filled with first timers - many ashamed to be asking for help.
"We have a large portion of our population who work in the service industry," Denholm said. "I'm talking restaurants, hairdressers, beauticians, nail salons - all these kinds of mom and pop stores and mom and pop shops and family-run shops that are the most greatly affected right now."
The Weymouth Food Pantry distributes more than 500,000 pounds of food per year to residents in need in Weymouth.
