Each month, Fatima Johnson, Brightlane’s Community Engagement & DEI Strategist, will be sharing a DEI insight as we continue to learn together. This month she is helping us explore the impact of food insecurity.
Food insecurity, as defined by the USDA, is when someone has limited or uncertain access to enough food for active, healthy living. According to Feeding America, 1 in 7 people and 1 in 5 children in Indiana are currently experiencing hunger and are food insecure. In Marion County, 14% of the population and 23% of children are food insecure.
As of today 40% of Indiana households, despite being employed, cannot afford enough food to feed the members of their household and often struggle to provide other basic needs. Food insecurity is a systemic issue and is a direct result of inadequate or unstable income while competing with the increasing cost of housing and other basic needs.
November is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month. We invite you to learn more about food insecurity in our community and develop a plan to support our neighbors in need. Below are some resources to learn more and ways to support.
Read
- Food Insecurity in Indiana
- Indiana Faces Escalating Hunger Crisis Amid Dwindling Federal Aid
- Child Food Insecurity in America