Statement of Food Research and Action Center on Census Bureau Release of 2003 Poverty and Income Data

Highlights:
· Poverty Increased in 2003 for Third Year in Row
· Income Stagnated
· Children Hardest Hit
· Hunger/Food Insecurity Data (Not Yet Released) May Also Show Deterioration

Despite a growing economy, the number of Americans living in poverty increased by 1.3 million people, to 35.9 million, in 2003. The number has grown by 4.3 million since 2000. The poverty rate increased from 12.1 percent in 2002 to 12.5 percent in 2003.

Children bore the brunt of the deepening poverty, as the child poverty rate increased from 16.7 percent to 17.6 percent. The number of children living in poverty increased 733,000 to 12.9 million.

Median household income remained flat in 2003, after declining the previous two years.

Just as disturbing, an additional 1.4 million Americans had no health insurance in 2003, bringing the total to 45 million who were uninsured, or 15.6 percent of the population.

The double crush of the rise in poverty and increase in uninsuredness during a time of economic growth is troubling. The benefits of the economic recovery are not reaching low-income working families. This increases the risk that more Americans are hungry or food insecure as well, with the attendant harm that causes to children and adults. The number of Americans experiencing food insecurity rose from 31 million in 1999 to 34.9 million in 2002. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not yet released the 2003 food insecurity data, 2003 and 2004 brought a spate of reports from around the country - from anti-hunger groups, food banks, and others - about growing hunger and growing need for emergency food.

Fortunately, the Food Stamp Program has responded reasonably well, providing a crucial nutritional safety net to millions of families who may otherwise be forced to choose between rent, medicine and food. The number of Americans receiving food stamps in an average month increased 12.3 percent in calendar year 2003 from 2002, and has increased further since then.

But the Food Stamp Program alone cannot compensate for declining or stagnant incomes and rising out-of-pocket health care costs. We need to do more. The nation needs to raise the minimum wage to make it a living wage. We must further strengthen public supports such as food stamps, the school meals programs, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Benefits should be more accessible and more adequate. The FY 2003 average food stamp benefit of $84 per person per month, for example, is simply not enough.

Download the U.S. Census report (PDF)