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November 16, 2011 by Lisa Turner

Most of us are food secure, survey says

The results from the earlier poll are in! Nearly two dozen people responded to my survey about food insecurity in New York. One of the most striking findings to come from the survey was that the overwhelming majority has never received food stamps or government assistance. Most never had to skip meals due to not being able to afford it, either. The one thing that almost every respondent shared was the value of having quality food accessible and available at a good price.

Red Hook CSA Half Share Week. Image courtesy of aur289 on Flickr.

Many respondents answered that they were not sure if the government was doing enough to help those that don’t have access to healthy food. When asked what measures could be taken in order to improve the state of food insecurity, one individual believes the government should be more involved. “Food stamps are only a temporary solution to a much bigger problem at hand. One thing the government should do is provide support for local efforts that are already focused on promoting healthy and affordable food, meaning farmer’s markets and community-run food co-ops.” Perhaps more celebrities, beyond Yoko Ono, should attach their names to a problem that affects one out of every five households in New York City.

 

Do you feel the government is doing enough to help those that are food insecure?

How often do you skip meals because you can’t afford them?

Archive

October 13, 2011 by Lisa Turner

Imagine there’s no hunger…

Yoko Ono has become one the latest public figures to address the growing problem of food insecurity in the United States. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access to proper and nutritious food to lead a healthy lifestyle.

She’ll be teaming up with Hard Rock International and WhyHunger to promote awareness and raise money to combat childhood hunger through various events on Nov 1.

The announcement comes just a week after Sesame Street aired a primetime special called, “Growing Hope Against Hunger,” which aimed to spread awareness about the growing problem of food insecurity amongst children. Lily, a 7-year-old girl, will be introduced as a new neighbor to the block whose family must rely on programs such as food stamps and pantries after suffering economic setbacks.

Sesame Street's new character, Lily. Courtesy of ABCNews.com.

Judging by the 44 percent increase in families that had to use food pantries between 2007 and 2009, Lily is an accurate reflection of how families are struggling to eat in today’s economy.

According to the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, 1 out of every 5 kids live in a home with inadequate food. They’ve developed a hunger map for the area, which serves a resource for those looking for food banks, farmer’s markets, summer meals and soup kitchens.

 

Take a minute to share your experiences with food insecurity.