**Taiwan’s Food Bank Founder Raises Alarming Hunger Rates**.
**[Original article in Chinese](https://lifestyle.fit/zh-CN/2023/03/01/hunger-rate-in-taiwan-doubles/)**.
**Synopsis:**.
Taiwan’s food bank founder, Oscar Hu, has raised concerns about the alarming increase in hunger rates among the elderly and the underprivileged. According to Hu’s observations and surveys, the number of people seeking assistance from food banks has doubled in the past six months alone. He attributes this surge to rising food prices, coupled with stagnant wages and a lack of access to affordable housing..
**Key Points:**.
* **Rising food prices:** The cost of basic necessities, such as rice, cooking oil, and eggs, has skyrocketed in recent months, putting a significant strain on household budgets..
* **Stagnant wages:** Incomes have not kept pace with the inflation rate, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet..
* **Lack of affordable housing:** The shortage of low-cost housing forces many people to spend a disproportionate share of their income on rent, leaving less for food and other essential expenses..
* **Impact on the elderly:** Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to hunger, as they often have fixed incomes and limited access to food assistance programs..
* **Call for action:** Hu urges the government to take immediate action to address the growing hunger crisis, including providing financial assistance to low-income families, increasing the availability of affordable housing, and expanding food assistance programs..
**Additional Details:**.
Hu’s food bank, founded in 2016, has seen a sharp increase in the number of clients it serves. In the past six months, the demand for food assistance has doubled, with more than 10,000 people receiving support each month. The organization’s surveys have revealed that a significant portion of its clients are elderly individuals living on low pensions..
According to Hu, the hunger crisis is not confined to the underprivileged. He has observed an increase in the number of middle-class families seeking help from food banks. Many of these families have been hit hard by the rising cost of living, which has eroded their savings and made it difficult to put food on the table..
Hu believes that the government needs to do more to address the root causes of hunger in Taiwan. He suggests exploring measures such as rent control, increasing the minimum wage, and expanding social safety net programs..
The alarming hunger rates highlighted by Hu’s food bank have sparked concern and debate in Taiwan. It remains to be seen whether the government will prioritize addressing this pressing issue in its policy agenda..
