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A national hunger survey by Hart Research Associates, commissioned last month by the Food Research and Action Center and Tyson Foods Inc., confirmed that one in four Americans is worried about having enough money to put food on the table in the next year.

Another key finding is that many Americans are unaware of how serious hunger is in their own communities. The online survey was initiated as part of Tyson’s “Know Hunger” campaign, which is focused on helping more people understand and actively address the problem of hunger in the United States. The survey found that 24 percent of respondents indicated they are very or fairly concerned about being able to afford food at some point in the next year, while 31 percent are slightly worried.

The survey, which is one of the largest and most comprehensive ever conducted on attitudes and perceptions of hunger, also revealed that many Americans may be underestimating the seriousness of hunger in their own community. Two-thirds of the people surveyed rated hunger as a more serious problem nationally than in their own community. Yet according to a report published in 2010 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, 14.7 percent of American households are food insecure at least some time during the year— the highest recorded levels since 1995, when the first national food security survey was conducted.

While more than one-third of those surveyed indicated they have a direct connection to hunger, 59 percent of respondents were surprised to learn the parents of hungry children in the U.S. typically have full-time jobs. A majority also assumed hunger is concentrated in urban areas; however, according to USDA, hunger is slightly higher among rural households than the national average.

Tyson has released a video of testimonials from well-known Americans who have experienced hunger.

“I know for us there were plenty of times when I didn't go to bed with a full stomach and we didn’t know how malnourished we were,” says Spencer Tillman, a network sports commentator and former professional football player who grew up in Oklahoma.

Tillman, along with TV chef/author Sandra Lee and Laura Rhea, president and CEO of the Arkansas Rice Depot food bank, provided comments for the campaign.

As part of the Tyson’s Know Hunger campaign, the company is donating 1 million pounds of boneless chicken to 37 food banks across the country during the month of March. Each food bank will receive about 29,000 pounds of high-quality protein, enough to serve 116,000 meals in each community.

Springdale, Ark.-based Tyson Foods Inc. is one of the world’s largest processors and marketers of chicken, beef and pork; the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500; and a member of the S&P 500. FRAC is the leading national nonprofit organization working to improve public policies and public-private partnerships to end hunger in the United States.

Source: Tyson Foods