This is another article in a series about hunger and food
insecurity issues in Kansas and Butler County. In our Hunger in
the Heartland post last month, we invited you to test your
knowledge about hunger in our community by taking a Hunger Quiz.
Today, we’re providing additional information about this serious
public health problem. Future posts will look at solutions to
address these issues in our community. Hunger is the result of
food insecurity: not having reliable access to enough food for a
healthy life. Kansas is among the 10 states with the worst
hunger problems. During the last decade, the number of children
living in high-poverty areas increased by 229% in Kansas
(compared to a 25% increase nationally). Kansas has the 7th
highest percentage of residents who are either cutting back on
the quantity and quality of food, or skipping meals entirely.
The food insecurity rate among children is over 22.7 % in Kansas
-- that’s more than 1 out of 5 children. Close to 60% of
students in the El Dorado School Dis