Emergency Food

Sweet Charity by Janet Poppendieck discusses the major issues of hunger and poverty that has been prevalent for some time. She emphasizes the effects of programs such as soup kitchens and food banks that arose to provide emergency food to people that have trouble feeding themselves and their families. In chapter two, "Who Eats Emergency Food?," Poppendieck explains that the major causes of the need for emergency food is unemployment and underemployment, high housing costs, inadequate public assistance, and reduced food assistance. These problems are worsened by things like a failing economy and recession. The chapter also describes the poverty line and how the system that defines poverty is rather outdated. When the line was first created, people who spent a third or more of their total income were said to be below the poverty line. Fifty years later, people are spending much less of their income on food and the standard of living has changed drastically.

In chapter three, Poppendieck brings up the "social constructionist" perspective on hunger. This view moves away from the individual and looks at the broad spectrum of problems that are associated with hunger. The perspective claims that hunger is thus a societal problem and addresses how larger issues such as politics and economics are some of the major causes of this problem.

Questions:

Should the government redefine a poverty line to accommodate people with specific needs and for changes in living standards? If so, what kinds of changes should be made to help more people in need? What are the consequences of these changes?