The Mounting Cost Of Inaction: Food Insecurity
COVID-19 On July 7, 2020
U.S. Infections – 2,886,267 | Days Since House Passed Heroes Act – 53
U.S. Deaths – 129,811 | U.S. Unemployment – 11.1 percent
What Is Food Insecurity?
American families experience food insecurity when they lack consistent access to the food they need to maintain a healthy, active life.
Food Insecurity Fact
Even before the pandemic, 1 in 9 Americans were food insecure including more than 11 million children. Since the pandemic, the cost of food has increased by 4.8 percent and millions of people lost their jobs due to the economic consequences of coronavirus.
What Is The Problem?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, has seen participation sky rocket in the wake of the pandemic. Because of increased food costs and higher unemployment since the beginning of the year, without supplemental funding and program changes millions of American families could be left without access to the food they need. Compounding this problem, TEFAP, or The Emergency Food Assistance Program which supports the nation’s foodbanks, is facing an unprecedented demand even as the Trump Administration slow walks new resources provided in the CARES Act. Feeding America reports that the nation’s foodbanks have seen a 60 percent increase in new families seeking assistance since the beginning of the pandemic and are facing a severe shortage in resources, transportation, storage, and distribution. Without supplemental funding, foodbanks, which are at the center of our communities, could run out of food in the coming months, leaving families with nowhere to turn to provide food for their children.
What Can We Do?
The House-passed Heroes Act, which Leader McConnell has relegated to his “legislative grave yard,” would provide $10 billion in new resources for SNAP while also increasing eligible benefits for families, and it provides $150 million to support the increased demand on TEFAP.
Where Can I Read More?
To Be Hungry In The Middle Of A Pandemic
PDF Link: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/download/food-insecurity-
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*COVID-19 infection and death rates provided by the CDC.
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