The COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified issues for people and families experiencing food insecurity. With the USDA’s Food Insecurity report set to come out today, we’d like to make sociologist Leslie Hossfeld available to you. As dean of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences at Clemson University, she has extensive expertise in health disparities, food security and sovereignty and can serve as resource as it relates to the report, food deserts and what can be done to address these issues.
Quotes from Leslie Hossfeld:
- The striking finding from this report is that the number of children in the US who are food insecure rose from 6.5% in 2019 to 7.6% in 2020. Further, the population experiencing one of the greatest increase in food insecurity are Black, non-Hispanic households is a jump from 19.1% in 2019 to 21.7% in 2020 – and this was highest in the South region. Why is this important: we know that Black Americans are disproportionately represented in low paying service jobs and have most likely suffered the greatest in pandemic-related job loss. Unemployment rates for Black workers are among the highest in the US.
- The bigger question is why aren’t food insecurity rates higher across the board given the pandemic and widespread job loss? It is likely that the increased reliance on social assistance during this period through COVID-related programs like the expanded USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) COVID-19 SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Emergency Allotments; the investments to expand SNAP online purchasing; expanded WIC (Women and Infant Children program) support and waivers; and the expanded Senior Nutrition program, have all worked to support families and households in need.
- Further, food banks have experienced unprecedented demand – the USDA Distribution program provides fresh fruits and vegetables to food banks and community organizations to address COVID-19 related hunger through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Without this targeted support and infrastructure for families in need, one would speculate that the food insecurity rates would have been much higher. When these programs subside, and the expansion support diminishes, it is likely food insecurity rates will increase.
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