Hunger in America advisory

Editors:

On Dec. 7 the AP will publish a project on hunger across the U.S. in the wake of the pandemic and economic crisis. The package includes a data distribution, which has moved and is available to data customers for their own reporting. It also includes a text story and abridged version, photo package and newsroom and online video. These elements will move Monday, Dec. 7 at 10:01 a.m. ET, and are intended for publication in newspapers on Dec. 8.

Hunger in America: Hunger began to stalk the nation early in the pandemic. Handwritten “closed” signs appeared on the windows of stores and restaurants. Paychecks were shrinking or disappearing altogether as unemployment skyrocketed to 14.7 percent, a rate not seen in almost a century. Food banks felt the pressure almost immediately. Feeding America, the nation’s largest anti-hunger organization, scrambled to keep up, and in late March, 20 percent of the Feeding America’s 200 food banks were in danger of running out of food. An Associated Press analysis of Feeding America data from 181 food banks in its network found the group has distributed nearly 57 percent more food in the third quarter of the year, compared with the same period in 2019. Story is 2,500 words. An abridged also will be available.

Data distribution. The Associated Press has received nine quarters of food distribution data from 181 Food Banks operating in Feeding America’s network. The data represents all food disbursed by the food bank, measured in pounds, and covers 48 states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico. If you are already enrolled in AP’s data.world platform for data distributions, your newsroom has access. If your news organization is not yet licensed to access our data distribution, please contact AP Digital Sales for enrollment details.

Photos: Photos from food banks and families across the U.S.

Video: Broadcast and online video edits.

Graphics: Visualization of the data collected.

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For questions, please contact Anna Jo Bratton at [email protected]

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