Food insecurity is on the rise and this is something that I care deeply about. At a press conference in Hartford on Wednesday, Feeding America shared some startling statistics.
The numbers come from Feeding America's "Map the Meal Gap Report." In Connecticut, since the last study in 2021, the number of food-insecure individuals has risen by 23%.
The latest numbers reveal:
- 468,150 people in Connecticut are food insecure, a 23% increase or around 90,000 additional people.
- 1 in 8 Connecticut residents are food insecure, compared to 1 in 10 last year.
- 1 in 6 children in Connecticut are food insecure.
- 1 in 4 Black persons in Connecticut are food insecure.
- 1 in 4 Hispanic persons in Connecticut is food insecure.
- 1 in 11 White non-Hispanic persons in Connecticut is food insecure.
- In Connecticut, 50% of people facing hunger may not qualify for SNAP.
- The estimated food budget shortfall is $26.44 per week (this is slightly higher than the national average of $24.73 per week). The food budget shortfall reflects the extra money that people who are food insecure report needing to cover their food needs.
- Meal costs vary significantly by county throughout the nation. In Connecticut, the average cost per meal is $4.27.
| This is unacceptable, especially in a state like ours. Let's continue working together finding solutions to help change this alarming reality. |
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