The Need 

The STATS....

* 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (Source: U.S. D.H.H.S., Bureau of the Census)
* 85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes (Source: Center for Disease Control)
* 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes (Source: Criminal Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26, 1978.)
* 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes (Source: National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools.)
* 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes (Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Special Report, Sept 1988)
* 85% of all youths sitting in prisons grew up in a fatherless home (Source: Fulton Co. Georgia jail populations, Texas Dept. of Corrections 1992)

HUNGER STATS
Preschool and school-age children who experience severe hunger have higher levels of chronic illness, anxiety and depression, and behavior problems than children with no hunger.
Moderate nutritional vulnerability, the kind often seen among children facing hunger in the United States, can hinder cognitive development and impair young children’s abilities over a lifetime.

Children who struggle with hunger face additional problems, such as:
Slower growth and inhibited brain development
More illnesses, including stomachaches, headaches, colds, ear infections and fatigue
Greater susceptibility to obesity and its harmful health consequences
Lower concentration and alertness in school
Lower academic achievement

Increased likelihood of developing psychosocial and behavioral issues, such as:
More aggressive behavior
Higher levels of hyperactivity, anxiety, and/or passivity
Greater need for mental health services
Less energy for social interactions
Unable to adapt as effectively to environmental stresses

Individuals who face hunger as a child struggle even after their childhood years:
They are not as well prepared physically, mentally, emotionally or socially to perform effectively in the contemporary workforce.
Collectively, they have lower levels of educational and technical skills which reduce the overall competitiveness of the workforce
Chronic undernutrition can also lead to greater health care costs for not only families of children experiencing hunger, but for future employers of those individuals who faced hunger as a child.