Washington: The US government on Tuesday urged Americans to volunteer to help feed their neighbours, noting that almost 15 per cent of the country's households had a hard time getting enough to eat last year.
Every American can chip in to fight hunger, the Agriculture Department said as it unveiled the Obama Administration's new Feed a Neighbour initiative, encouraging activities such as volunteering time at local food banks, helping the elderly get fresh produce, and planning ways to feed children who depend on free school lunches when school is out.
A USDA survey last week found one in seven Americans struggled to get enough to eat in 2008, the highest level since the report began in 1995.
More than 49 million people "had difficulty obtaining food... due to a lack of resources" during 2008, the report said.
