Food security is a major issue in the US, and while it’s often swept under the rug or simply overlooked, the fact still remains that nearly 16 million households don’t consistently have access to nutritious food.
This data is from 2015, and while things have gotten better with time, one would be hard-pressed to say that food insecurity isn’t plaguing communities across the entire continental US even today.
Limited access to healthy foods creates a number of different issues for families, ranging from a severe drop in cognitive ability to an increased risk of obesity in children and young adults living in these communities.
On top of this, several other conditions such as diabetes, anxiety, and even depression can easily be linked to food insecurity, and it’s been proven that reduced academic achievement can directly be attributed to not having access to nutritious foods.
A nationwide problem, and the solution to it
As a means of combating food insecurity, the federal government created food banks, which are the main way local, state, and federal agencies can contribute to the battle against hunger in the US.
Due to how related health issues are to food insecurity, certain healthcare providers will now also screen patients for food insecurity before reaching a diagnosis, oftentimes connecting them with one or more nutritious food resources that are available in the area, be it a food bank or a pantry.
The participating healthcare facilities can also contribute to these resources, providing clients with fresh, nutritious food that they need to reach the average nutrition standard for all US residents.
Some food banks will even host pantries on site, giving patients immediate access to nutritious food before they’re even discharged from the hospital.
How does it work
Donations are secured from hundreds of different organizations and independent contributors across the nation, including numerous food and grocery industries that give away their products to those who need them the most.
Food banks operate similarly to a warehouse, and they only store these donations, whereas local organizations and agencies will distribute them to needy individuals and communities impacted by food insecurity.
The difference between a food bank and a food pantry is the scale on which the program operates, as banks channel the resources for entire regions whereas pantries are more of a local solution to this widespread issue.
A good example is the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, which distributes food resources to more than 400 agencies across eleven counties of southwestern Pennsylvania, and food pantries are also part of this chain of command.
The issues
Even though they’re the main source of food for communities struggling with food insecurity, food banks aren’t necessarily always a storage of fresh and nutritious food.
Most of the time, the donations come in the form of less healthy, canned foods, which is done primarily due to the longer shelf life of canned and pickled foods as opposed to fresh meat and vegetables.
This is where food pantries come in, as they don’t aim to store food resources for longer periods of time, but rather, give those in need access to nutritious products whenever it is possible.
Unfortunately, because of understaffing and a faulty infrastructure that plagues the majority of these food pantries, they struggle to meet their goals, and their refrigeration capacity has yet to reach its desired amount.
Pair this up with chronic funding shortages and you’ve got a real issue on your hands, which is not to say that these agencies aren’t at least somewhat effective in doing their jobs, as they’ve helped hundreds of communities across the nation win their battle against hunger.
Partnerships with local farmers
In order to secure fresh, healthy food for those who need it, some food banks partner with farmers in the area, creating a relationship of mutual benefit that aims to eventually solve the ever-present issue of hunger in the US.
Apart from feeding the hungry, this also helps farmers recover from the inevitable losses they face every year, as food banks will pay below-market prices for produce that wouldn’t normally be sold due to cosmetic imperfections or overproduction.
Back in 2017, the KAFB Farm to Food Banks program managed to distribute more than 3.5 million pounds of produce to food banks across the US, with each of the 390 farmers participating in the program collecting an average of $1700 for their efforts, which is still more than the $0 they would’ve gotten for the food they wouldn’t normally be able to sell.
Bottom line
Food insecurity in the US has plagued rural communities for what feels like decades, and it’s become more prominent in urban communities as well in recent years.
With the help of food banks and pantries, the individuals impacted by this phenomenon can gain access to nutritious and healthy food at no cost, allowing them to redistribute their funds and put them towards something else, most likely a means of improving their financial situation and escaping the endless loop of poverty.