Are We Prepared for Rising Food Insecurity?
A couple of weeks ago, the New York Times reported that food banks across the U.S. were scrambling to serve their communities amidst budget shortfalls brought on by the federal administration’s funding cuts. A quick online search brings up an endless number of headlines about how these budget cuts are affecting neighborhoods across the country. Examples include "Trump administration abruptly cuts Nevada food bank deliveries, funding," and "Amid federal funding cuts, North Texas food pantries see rising demand."
Food pantries are an essential resource for families in the U.S. who experience food insecurity. Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as an economic and social problem that contributes to household-level limits in access to food. And unfortunately, this pertains to a lot of families. According to recent data from the USDA, 13% of Americans, or 47 million people, experience food insecurity in the U.S. In addition, © Psychology Today
