Deep reductions in financial aid risk intensifying the food scarcity predicament...

Hungry and Struggling: The Hidden Food Crisis Hitting the US Amid a Strong Labor Market

By JAMES POLLARD, Associated Press

— In the heart of New York City, The Campaign Against Hunger is grappling with feeding the thousands of families they assist each week, after a shocking loss of over $1.3 million in grants from the Trump administration. As demand continues to surge and jobless numbers decrease, the nonprofit is now seeing a new wave of clients – working people pushed to the brink by stagnant wages and skyrocketing living costs.

A hunger crisis has emerged in the U.S., strange as it may seem in a relatively robust labor market. The latest US Department of Agriculture data reveals an alarming trend: one million more food insecure households in 2023 compared to 2022. This unexpected predicament has many wondering how hard-working Americans are finding themselves at food banks, while the federal government discusses budget plans that could further exacerbate the issue.

Food banks typically cater to the most vulnerable during high unemployment periods. But today, the working poor are the ones lining up for essentials like fresh produce and meats, struggling to make ends meet in a market marred by inflation.

Stuck in a tightrope act

The squeeze on working families began in March, when funding cuts started threatening food availability. The USDA halted $500 million of expected food deliveries and slashed another $1 billion for hunger relief programs supporting local producers. The Department of Homeland Security also rescinded Federal Emergency Management Agency grants for local governments and nonprofits like The Campaign Against Hunger, endangering their ability to shelter and feed newly arrived noncitizen migrants.

Meanwhile, costs continue to rise and wage growth remains sluggish. As necessities like food, utilities, and housing costs escalate, even full-time wage earners are finding it challenging to keep their heads above water. Longtime Brooklyn resident, Kim Dennis, has firsthand experience of the mounting pressure. "The lines are getting a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot," she said. "Everything is going up and a lot of us cannot afford."

Over half of responding food banks told Feeding America they served more neighbors this February than the same month last year, underlining the growing need.

Straining the system

Economic headwinds have also taken a toll on the country’s largest hunger-relief network, Feeding America. With thousands of member food banks across the nation, assistance is often easier to acquire than government benefits, such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program), which can be subject to burdensome application processes. For many families, food banks provide a crucial supplement to SNAP benefits, a strategy that could be jeopardized by proposed budget plans from Republicans that could cut SNAP allotments or expand work requirements.

In response to the mounting pressure, food banks like Houston Food Bank are dipping into their reserves, bracing for significant losses. If the cuts remain, Houston Food Bank CEO Brian Greene anticipates losing approximately $4 million this year, including $3 million for food storage and distribution, $7 million supporting local farmers and producers, and 40 tractor trailer loads a month carrying key produce and protein.

Adding to the turmoil, food purchases are funded through the Farm Bill. Trump’s trade war has generated more funds for the USDA to buy food commodities under a 1935 program, but these purchases are covered by a different funding pot, allowing for more discretion in the agency's response to economic disruptions. As a result, the suspended purchases may have significant repercussions for hunger relief groups.

Creating a ripple effect

The impacts of funding cuts and reduced food availability are already being felt by smaller food banks. Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, a Bloomington, Indiana-based pantry, faces potential food reductions of about 25% from a Feeding America partner if TEFAP (Emergency Food Assistance Program) cuts continue distribution cuts. A 2022 study measuring food pantries’ value suggests participating families obtain between $600 and $1000 annually from them, a crucial resource for low-income households.

As food insecurity continues to rise, the cost of cushioning families from economic shocks may prove too high for hunger relief groups alone. systemic changes are required to address the underlying issues driving food insecurity, including wage stagnation, skill mismatches, and regional economic imbalances. Without such efforts, a strong labor market may fail to signal broader economic equitability, as food banks struggle to keep up with the growing demand and Americans find themselves facing an unnecessary and unacceptable struggle to secure healthy and nutritious meals for their families.

Associated Press journalist Terry Chea in San Francisco contributed to this report.

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

The government's pullback on grants from programs like the Trump administration's has made it difficult for organizations like The Campaign Against Hunger to assist the growing number of hungry families in urban areas, even as the overall labor market appears strong.
The hunger crisis gripping the U.S., unexpected in a relatively robust labor market, has led to a new wave of working families seeking help from food banks, as they struggle to cover rising living costs and stagnant wages.
A lack of predictability in government funding for food relief programs and increased costs are straining both food banks and the communities they serve, with many food banks reporting serving more clients in February 2023 than the same month the previous year.
Feeding America, the country's largest hunger-relief network, faces potential losses as demand for assistance grows and government budget plans could further exacerbate the issue by reducing SNAP benefits or increasing work requirements.
Economic headwinds have affected even food banks' operations, with some organizations like the Houston Food Bank having to dip into their reserves to compensate for expected losses in funding.
In the midst of these challenges, the general-news discourse focuses on the federal government's budget plans and their potential impact on hunger relief programs, raising concerns among advocates for nutrition and culture regarding the government's commitment to addressing the needs of its citizens.
As food insecurity continues to rise, discussions about the need for systemic changes to address issues such as wage stagnation, skill mismatches, and regional economic imbalances gain prominence, acknowledging that a strong labor market does not necessarily equate to broader economic equality.
If the current trends continue, food banks will be unable to provide crucial resources like fresh produce and meats to low-income families, emphasizing the need for comprehensive solutions that ensure access to nutrition and address underlying issues driving food insecurity.