Food insecurity is defined by the U. S. Department of Agriculture as “a household-
level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.”
It’s often discussed on a scale, with households ranging from high levels of food
security to very low food security.
“The USDA’s recently released report on Household Food Security in the United
States in 2022 showed food insecurity rose by more than 30% over 2021. That means
1 in 7 people in the U.S. live in food insecure households. Children fared even worse,
experiencing a 40% rise in food insecurity, meaning 1 in 5 children in the U.S. live in
food insecure households. That is the highest rate since 2014 and the largest one-year
increase since 2008, which many will remember as the first year of the Great
Recession.”
In Tolland County, according to Feeding America, 9.2% of all residents are food
insecure. The volunteers at the Food Cupboard see this in all its reality as we provide
food assistance to an increasing number of families every week. The number of
families and individuals we served at the Cupboard in January 2024 increased by 24%
over January 2023.
Anyone who goes grocery shopping today can certainly understand why our numbers of
families and individuals who need our help continue to grow. We are still able to serve
so many people thanks to the ongoing donations of food, gift cards, and cash we
receive from so many individuals and organizations. Thank you!
Lee Hay
Food Cupboard Director