By: Trent Chassy
In a nation with a GDP of $21.4 trillion, it can be hard to imagine that some neighbors struggle to provide the necessary means for themselves and their families. The truth is that many Americans live in conditions of food insecurity despite our wealth.
According to Oxford Languages, food insecurity is “the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.” Further, in 2006 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defined four types of food security, beginning with high food security, moving to medium food security, low food security, and lastly, very low food security. Falling into either of the two lowest categories is a determinant of whether someone lives in food-insecure conditions. The low-security classification has reduced the quality, variety, or desirability of a diet with little or no indication of reduced food intake. The very low classification has multiple indicators of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.
According to the USDA, in a 2019 study it was found that 10.5% of Americans were living in either low security or very low-security conditions. Among that population, the demographics suggest that there are disparities across race and sex. Some examples of this are that less than 10% of white Americans live with low food security levels, whereas nearly 20% of black Americans live in the same conditions. Another example is that about 15% of single fathers live with low food security, where almost 30% of single mothers live in the same conditions.
The federal government has played a role in combatting the broader issue. An example of this is the history of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The first food stamp program was a product of the New Deal era, followed by reinvestment in assistance in the Kennedy-Johnson era. Recently, due to the economic impact of Covid-19, President Joe Biden announced the most substantial investment increase in the SNAP program of its history.
Food stamp programs haven’t survived without criticism, however. Critics claim these services are too broad and expensive to be beneficial. Criticism has led to cutbacks in assistance of all types leaving states, municipalities, and non-profit organizations to pick up the tab. An example of this in Illinois is the Target Hunger Now program. This program, funded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, enlists both hunters and fishers to seek out high protein targets for those in need. This program also offers volunteer opportunities that can be found, along with more information at the Target Hunger Now website.
A non-profit like this also plays a role in efforts against food insecurity. The Eastern Illinois Food Bank and Wesley Food Pantry are examples of organizations fighting hunger. Each organization aids those in need and receives support from the broader community. Each organization takes donations and offers volunteer opportunities to support its efforts. In only one-year, Eastern Illinois Food Bank has assisted over 350,000 people in receiving the resources they need.
One organization doing work close to home is the Wesley Food Pantry Parkland branch. This branch is open to the community from 1:00-3:00 pm every Wednesday and is located near the Staerkel Planetarium. Wesley Food Pantry offers a week worth of nutritious food options to individuals and families in need. As well as providing food, this organization can also help in the search for solutions to the root causes of food insecurity- through education, employment, social programs, and other referral services.
Wesley Food Pantry, along with offering community resources, also has volunteer and internship opportunities. There are a variety of internship opportunities that offer different experiences in the service of fighting food insecurity. Dawn Longfellow, an organizer for Wesley Food Pantry, said, “Volunteers will find they leave feeling very positive about their time and possibly have a better perspective on who might be coming to use a pantry.” For more information on what programs are available, please see the website.
For more information on making donations, volunteering, or the broader issues relating to food insecurity– checkout wesleypantry.org
