The 2010 Hunger Report

Homeownership may be the apotheosis of achieving the American Dream. But the true test of whether the American Dream is alive and well is whether economic mobility is alive and well. The fact is that 42 percent of children born to parents in the bottom income quintile and 39 percent of children born to parents in the top quintile will end up in those same income brackets a generation later. Economists call this phenomenon “stickiness at the ends.” In other words, for a large group of people at the top and bottom of the economy, economic potential is set at birth. The American Dream of those at the bottom is too often just a dream.

Plenty of low-income families are living on the edge, always one piece of bad luck away from not being able to meet their basic needs.  It could be a job loss, a medical emergency, a car breaking down, or an unexpected home repair. It could be the rising cost of health insurance, a freezing cold winter that brings higher heating bills, or a sudden surge in gas prices. It’s difficult for anyone to achieve economic mobility without first establishing financial stability. Savings are a buffer to keep families from falling off the edge.

One in six of America’s children are threatened by hunger and food insecurity. Recognizing the urgency of the problem, President Obama has pledged to end child hunger by 2015. Achieving this goal will require a committed and sustained federal effort to support children and families. It will also require a willingness to look for novel policy solutions.