New Research Shows Louisiana’s Kids Are Most Likely To Starve

Out of all 50 states Louisiana has a shocking problem with making sure every child doesn't have to starve. A new study places Louisiana among the top 10 states with the most underprivileged children. Shreveport organizations like Volunteers for Youth Justice are fighting back against this problem.

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WalletHub's new study States with the Most Underprivileged Children dove into data about things like the youth homeless rate, child food insecurity rate, and the count of children raised in poverty to determine which states have the worst problems with underprivileged children.

Louisiana placed 7th among states with the most underprivileged children based on data on health, education, and socio-economic conditions.

Louisiana was among the states with the most children in single-parent families, states with the highest percentage of households below the poverty line, and the state with the biggest child food insecurity rate.

When wondering why some states struggle more with topics around underprivileged youth Darcey Merritt, Ph.D. professor of social work at the University of Chicago, says that one of the issues that these states face is a lack of support from elected lawmakers, "elected officials are not placing the necessary high priority on the needs of underprivileged children, as evidenced by the ongoing partisan debate amongst legislators about a permanent robust financial safeguard for struggling families."

There's no one easy or fast way to fix all of the problems facing underprivileged youth, but there are groups that are always actively working to make sure no child has to suffer. Feeding Louisiana has a huge network of charities that help feed the underserved in our area, ensuring impoverished families can still eat. Volunteers for Youth Justice is another organization in the state that works as hard as they can to help and support children in the area. These groups are local and can always use your support in their missions.