The number of U.S. households reporting difficulty securing adequate food has soared. That Thanksgiving is tomorrow underscores this disturbing news. According to a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 14.6 percent reported struggling last year to put meals on the table. The figure represents 49 million people, far more than in the previous year, and the highest percentage charted since the government began keeping track, in 1995. Though experts anticipated an increase, many said they were surprised by the size of it. With high unemployment persisting, today’s numbers may well be even worse.
