Big jump in U.S. hunger since 2006

CHICAGO, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- More than 37 million people, one-in-eight Americans, receive emergency food each year via food banks and agencies, a U.S. non-profit group says.

Feeding America, a hunger-relief organization, released its report "Hunger in America 2010," a study detailing the connection between the recession and an increased need for emergency food assistance.

More than one-in-three client households are experiencing very low food security -- or hunger -- a 54 percent increase in the number of households compared with four years ago, the report says.

An estimated 5.7 million people receive emergency food assistance each week from a food pantry, soup kitchen or other agency served by one of Feeding America's more than 200 food banks -- a 27 percent increase from the numbers reported in "Hunger in America 2006."

"'Hunger in America 2010' exposes the absolutely tragic reality of just how many people in our nation don't have enough to eat," Vicki Escarra, president of Feeding America, said in a statement.

"Millions our clients are families with children finding themselves in need of food assistance for the very first time."