Public Attitudes Toward Hunger

The public is very concerned about hunger in America. A poll on hunger and the positions of likely Democratic caucus-goers and primary voters in Iowa and New Hampshire, conducted by the Alliance to End Hunger, reveals strong concerns about hunger in America. The survey, released in October 2003, finds that:

• 96 percent of likely Iowa caucus-goers and 94 percent of New Hampshire primary voters said that it is important to them, during these times of budget cuts and a tough economy, that the government should fund anti-hunger programs such as the school lunch program, the Women Infants and Children Program (WIC), Food Stamps and programs to feed American seniors.
  
  
• 90 percent in Iowa and New Hampshire say that a candidate's position on reducing hunger and poverty will be important when deciding their vote for president.
  
  
• 58 percent of Iowans and 48 percent of New Hampshire primary voters said that they would be more interested in hearing a candidate's position on reducing hunger and poverty in the United States than on fighting terrorism.

Another poll, released in December 1995 by the ACNielson Consumer Information Survey, showed Americans overwhelmingly rate the importance of hunger and poverty issues equal to health care, balancing the budget, and increasing employment, income and job security. Nineteen out of 20 people (95 percent) felt that hunger and poverty are important issues in the 1996 election year.

Another national public-opinion poll released in 1992 by RSM, Inc. revealed that over 90 percent of registered voters believe hunger in the U.S. is a serious and growing problem. Hunger ranked with education, health care policy, and poverty and homelessness as a serious issue. Unlike other critical issues, however, hunger was seen as a very solvable problem. Voters placed the responsibility for ending hunger with the government. The poll found very strong support for school breakfast and lunch programs, senior feeding, WIC, and the Food Stamp Program. In fact, when told that more than half of food stamp recipients are children and more than 80 percent of food stamp benefits go to families with children, the approval rate for the Food Stamp Program jumped from 61 percent to 81 percent. The sentiment that the government needs to increase its anti-hunger efforts was so strong, voters said they would be willing to earmark $100 more in taxes annually to end hunger.