Study shows safety net helped prevent widespread hunger during the pandemic

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Thu, 2021-09-09 09:24 — mike kraft

New federal study shows safety net helped prevent widespread hunger during the pandemic U.S. Agriculture Department releases first complete government calculation of 2020 hunger surge, revealing the success of pandemic safety net programs. Laura Reiley Washington Post

Despite a world-altering pandemic, the number of American households struggling with hunger remained nearly constant last year, buoyed by significant federal safety net programs, according to a report released Wednesday by the U.S. Agriculture Department.

However, food assistance programs may not have reached populations equally, according to the report, as food insecurity during the pandemic improved for some while worsening for others. Households with children were twice as likely to experience food insecurity as households without children, according to the report.

Black Americans were 3.2 times more likely than White Americans to be food insecure, and Hispanic Americans were 2.5 times more likely to be food insecure than Whites. Households in Southern states also experienced more hunger than those in northern states.

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Hunger groups point out that the report suggests that food insecurity continues to plague parts of the country, while also showing that safety net programs delivered during the crisis. ...

ALSO SEE: Food Insecurity Among Health Care Workers In The US

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