More needs to be done to ensure that children have adequate access to food, according to a new survey, titled "Youth Hunger and School Meals," from GENYOUth, a national nonprofit committed to ensuring students thrive by living well-nourished and physically active lives.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1 in 5 kids face hunger or are food insecure. For Black, Indigenous and Hispanic youth, that number is even higher. Meanwhile, the number of children living in food-insecure households has increased 45 percent since 2021, the USDA said. 

The survey found that 2 in 5 Americans know a child impacted by food insecurity; 3 in 10 Americans reported they had participated in meal programs.

"With September as Hunger Action Month, now is the time to elevate the conversation and promote action," says GENYOUth CEO Ann Marie Krautheim. "Addressing youth hunger isn't just about physical health—it's about cognitive development, academic performance and emotional well-being. 

“To truly make a difference, we need a multifaceted approach that includes robust support for school meal programs from business, community and government leaders, as well as local communities. This requires policy changes, increased awareness, funding support and education at every level," Krautheim said.

Nearly 1 in 4 respondents said they faced food insecurity as a child. Despite these figures, there remains a lack of understanding of how deeply American children are impacted by food insecurity. According to the survey, 2 in 3 Americans are not aware that 1 in 5 U.S. children currently live in food-insecure homes.

The survey also found, however, that Americans understand the importance of meal programs. More than 59 percent of respondents said that meal programs are the country’s largest safety net for food insecurity among school-age children.

Additionally, 3 in 5 Americans believe that most children get their healthiest meals at school.

As a result, 65 percent of respondents said they believe that more states need to offer free school meal programs to all children and 3 in 5 said they think that food insecurity among U.S. children should be a national priority.

"Many may not realize how many children live in food-insecure homes or depend on school meals, but awareness of child hunger is growing," said Krautheim. She added that 30 million U.S. children rely on school meals, yet only 26 percent of Americans know this, leaving 190 million unaware of the vital role schools play in feeding hungry children. 

She said, “By engaging everyone from business and government to local community leaders, we must raise our hands in support of and drive awareness for this crucial cause."