In 2002 NOW reported on the problem of hunger in the United States. Since that report rates of "food insecurity" According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food insecurity is: "limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways."

Below is a state-by-state listing of the departments that oversee food relief. In some cases we have also listed the web sites of food banks suggested by the state government. Please use the sites listed on the left to find one close to home.

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The figures below are from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2002 study Household Food Security in the United States." The prevalence of food insecurity rose from 10.7 percent in 2001 to 11.1 percent in 2002, and the prevalence of food insecurity with hunger rose from 3.3 percent to 3.5 percent.

National Average
% of food insecure households (1998) = 9.7%

% of food insecure households (2002) = 11.3%

Alabama
% of food insecure households = 12.5%
Alabama Department of Human Services

Alaska
% of food insecure households = 11.8%
Alaska Department of Health and Social Services

Arkansas
% of food insecure households = 14.6%
Arkansas Department of Human Services

Arizona
% of food insecure households = 12.5%
Arizona Department of Economic Security
Arizona Community Action Hunger Programs

California
% of food insecure households = 11.7%
California Department of Social Services
California GOSERV Volunteering Program

Colorado
% of food insecure households = 9.2%
Colorado Department of Human Services
Colorado Food Distribution Programs

Connecticut
% of food insecure households = 7.6%
Connecticut Department of Social Services
Connecticut Food Bank

Washington, D.C.
% of food insecure households = 9.3%
District of Columbia Department of Human Services

Delaware
% of food insecure households = 6.8%
Delaware Health and Social Services

Florida
% of food insecure households = 11.8%
Florida Department of Children and Families
Florida Food Recovery Program

Georgia
% of food insecure households = 12.9%
Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Georgia Community Action Association

Hawaii
% of food insecure households = 11.9%
State of Hawaii Department of Human Services
Hawaii Together Food Program

Iowa
% of food insecure households = 9.1%
Iowa of Human Services

Idaho
% of food insecure households = 13.7%
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Idaho Food Bank
Idaho Community Action Agencies

Illinois
% of food insecure households = 8.6%
Illinois Department of Human Services
Illinois Emergency Food Program

Indiana
% of food insecure households = 8.9%
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
Emergency Food Assistance Program Directory

Kansas
% of food insecure households = 11.7%
Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services

Kentucky
% of food insecure households = 10.8%
Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children
Kentucky Food Services Guide

Louisiana
% of food insecure households = 13.1%
Louisiana Department of Social Services
Louisiana Soup Kitchens

Massachusetts
% of food insecure households = 6.4%
Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance
Massachusetts Financial Hardship Services; Food

Maryland
% of food insecure households = 8.2%
Maryland Department of Human Resources
Emergency Food Providers

Maine
% of food insecure households = 9.0%
Maine Bureau of Health

Michigan
% of food insecure households = 9.2%
Michigan Department of Community Health
Food Bank Council of Michigan

Minnesota
% of food insecure households = 7.1%
Minnesota Department of Human Services

Missouri
% of food insecure households = 9.9%
Missouri Department of Social Services

Mississippi
% of food insecure households = 14.8%
Mississippi Department of Human Services

Montana
% of food insecure households = 12.8%
Montana Virtual Human Services Pavilion

North Carolina
% of food insecure households = 12.3%
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

North Dakota
% of food insecure households = 8.1%
North Dakota Department of Human Services

Nebraska
% of food insecure households = 10.7%
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Nebraska Resource Referral System

New Hampshire
% of food insecure households = 6.7%
New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services

New Jersey
% of food insecure households = 8.5%
New Jersey Department of Human Services

New Mexico
% of food insecure households = 14.3%
New Mexico Human Services Department
Hot Meals and Food Pantries
Food Distribution Centers by Location

New York
% of food insecure households = 9.4%
New York State Department of Family Assistance
New York Volunteer Programs

Nevada
% of food insecure households = 9.3%
Department of Human Services

Ohio
% of food insecure households = 9.8%
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Second Harvest Ohio

Oklahoma
% of food insecure households = 14.3%
Oklahoma Department of Human Services

Oregon
% of food insecure households = 13.7%
Oregon Department of Human Services
Oregon Food Bank

Pennsylvania
% of food insecure households = 9.4%
Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare

Rhode Island
% of food insecure households = 10.1%
Rhode Island Department of Human Services

South Carolina
% of food insecure households = 12.3%
South Carolina Department of Social Services
Food Distribution Programs

South Dakota
% of food insecure households = 8.0%
South Dakota Department of Human Services

Tennessee
% of food insecure households = 11.3%
Tennessee Department of Human Services

Texas
% of food insecure households = 14.8%
Texas Department of Human Services
Texas Volunteer Services

Utah
% of food insecure households = 15.2%
Utah Department of Human Services
Utah Commission on Volunteers

Virginia
% of food insecure households = 7.3%
Virginia Department of Social Services
Virginia Volunteerism

Vermont
% of food insecure households = 9.0%
Vermont Agency for Human Services
Vermont Service Net: Food

Washington
% of food insecure households = 12.3%
Washington Department of Health and Social Services
Community Resource Directory

Wisconsin
% of food insecure households = 8.1%
Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services
Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee

West Virginia
% of food insecure households = 9.4%
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

Wyoming
% of food insecure households = 10.7%
Wyoming Department of Family Services