Resources
How the Nation is responding
Research and Understanding
Without a doubt, there is a strong correlation between hunger, health, and food insecurity. To better deal with the situation of food insecurity in the United States, it is crucial to understand these topics in order to use the available knowledge and find solutions. Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, has provided six in-depth studies to better understand the correlation between health and hunger in the United States.
Six Must-Read Studies about Hunger and Health
Additionally, Food Insecurity is a complex issue that exists at multiple levels and for many different demographics. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has compiled the latest statistics and information on topics such as the Food Security status of U.S. households, how many people lived in Food Insecure households, Food Insecurity by household characteristics, trends in prevalence rates, and the state-level prevalence of food insecurity.
Connecting Farms to Food Banks
With about 40 million people dealing with food insecurity in the United States, it is an issue that billions of pounds of produce go to waste and are dumped in landfills. There are a number of reasons why produce goes to waste each year including overproduction, pests, climate patterns, and fluctuations in demand. Not only could this wasted food feed millions of people, but food waste is also the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, only behind China and the United States. The Farmlink Project is one organization that aims to close the gap between Food Insecurity and food waste by purchasing excess produce and distributing it to food shelters and underserved communities across the nation.
The Work of Feeding America
Feeding America is the nation's largest hunger-relief organization that provides food to over 40 million people per year. Through their network of 200 food banks, 60,000 food shelters,
and many partnering organizations, Feeding America aims to provide
access to nutritional foods for people in need.
On their Hunger and Health website, Feeding America
also provides nutritional education, healthy recipes, and a map
that details the costs and scope of Food Insecurity per state.
Map of Food Insecurity in The United States
How New Jersey is responding
New Jersey State Health Assessment Data presents information on the history of Food Insecurity in New Jersey from 2010 to 2019. See below to also understand the Food Insecurity rate of children under the age of 18, the Food Insecurity rate by county, and the Food Insecurity rate of children by county.
Percentage of Food Insecure Households
Governor Murphy signs legislation package to combat food Insecurity in New Jersey
In 2021, Governor Phil Murphy signed 6 bills that would address hunger and food insecurity in New Jersey. These bills would increase access to the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAPS) and expand its benefits, provide funds to school meal programs such as the Summer Food Service Program and Breakfast After the Bell, and establish the Office of Food Insecurity Advocate. More about these bills and their impact can be found below.
Source: Feeding America, What Hunger Looks Like In New Jersey
What hunger looks like in new jersey
It is important to understand the difference between the hunger felt after skipping a meal and hunger as a problem. Hunger and Food Insecurity are two related topics as the condition of Food Insecurity often leads to Hunger, the result of consuming an inefficient amount of food for sustainability. In New Jersey, close to 800,000 people are facing hunger with almost 200,000 of them being children. Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap study provides information on the food insecurity rate by county, the average meal cost, and the additional money required to meet food needs. Additionally, they provide overall information including facts such as 1 in 12 people in New Jersey are facing Hunger, 1 in 10 children are facing hunger, estimated funds needed to support people's food needs, and information on how many households are receiving benefits from SNAPS.
Ways to Get involved
Do you have surplus food or produce? Meal Connect makes it easy to donate your excess food to communities in need by matching with a trusted non-profit organization in your area and having your donation picked up and delivered to those in need. Through their network of partnering organizations, MealConnect has rescued about 3 billion pounds of food with over 7 million donation pickups, 10,000 Non-Profit partners, and 50 participating states.
Get Started Donating Food With MealConnect
Volunteer opportunities
51% of all food programs rely entirely on volunteers. That is why Feeding America simplifies the process of getting involved by helping you find volunteer opportunities with local food banks in your area. Although volunteer opportunities vary, some common things one might do as a volunteer include sorting and packing, delivering meals, and assisting mobile pantries and drive-thru pantries. Click here to find your local food bank and discover what volunteer opportunities are available.
What It's Like to Volunteer At a Food Bank
Useful Videos
