Childhood Hunger Initiative
Hunger isn't just uncomfortable for children. It's dangerous.
Each month, an estimated 75,000 children eat meals from an emergency food box.
Children who are hungry have more trouble learning in school. And early childhood hunger and malnutrition can result in irreversible health problems later in life.
The Childhood Hunger Initiative was formed to educate the medical community and the public about the medical, developmental and psyco-social impacts of childhood hunger. The group, made up of a network of health-care professionals, anti-hunger advocates and other interested Oregonians, believes that childhood hunger must be understood as a public health issue.
The Childhood Hunger Initiative emerged from a workshop entitled, "The Medical and Social Impacts of Childhood Hunger," held at Oregon Food Bank in 2004. Workshop organizers developed the Childhood Hunger Initiative as a means of carrying forward the workshop's goals.
Learn more. Send questions to chi@oregonfoodbank.org.
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NEW: Continuing Medical Education
The Childhood Hunger Initiative has created Childhood Food Insecurity: Health Impacts, Screening and Intervention, an online course and learning materials, as continuing education for health-care providers.
Course participants will:
- Improve knowledge about health consequences of pediatric and pre-natal food insecurity,
- Gain skills for addressing this topic in a clinical setting and
- Integrate intervention strategies for patients and families at risk.
Take the course >
1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits TM is awarded at completion.
Resources
Oregon SafeNet
Information and referral for food stamps, Oregon Health Plan and school lunches.
1-800-SafeNet
1-800-723-3638
Oregon Helps
Free, confidential information and referral Web site for social service programs.
Oregon WIC
Preventative health services and nutrition assistance for women, infants and children.
Food Stamp Program
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nutrition assistance for families and individuals.
Food Stamps and You
English >
Spanish >
Research
Children who are hungry face greater risk for
negative health outcomes, including risk to physical health, risk of overweight, nutritional inadequacy, emotional and psychological well-being, and poor intellectual achievement.
Research is emerging on the extent to which household food insecurity independently predicts adverse physical and mental health outcomes among children.
Childhood Hunger: A Public Health Concern
May 2008
Oregon Childhood Hunger Initiative Health Provider Survey Report
Health Consequences of Food Insecurity and Hunger
April 2007
Donna Ching, registered nurse and pediatric nurse practitioner
Workshop: The Medical and Social Impacts of Childhood Hunger
Held at Oregon Food Bank, November 2004
Sponsoring partners included Children First for Oregon , Providence Health System and Oregon Health & Science University
The Causes and Costs of Domestic Hunger
November 2004
Dr. J. Larry Brown
More information on the effects of childhood hunger can be found in the online CME course, Childhood Food Insecurity: Health Impacts, Screening and Intervention.
Partners
Elizabeth Adams, PhD, RD,CDRC/Oregon Health & Science University
Cheryl Alto, MS, RD
Donna Ching, MN, PNP, Oregon Health & Science University
Dana Hargunani, MD, Oregon Health & Science University
Anne Hoisington, MS, RD, OSU Extension
Jon Stubenvoll, MBA, Oregon Food Bank
Tammy VanderWoude, Oregon Food Bank
Nancy Weed, MSW, Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force
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