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Summary

This brief examines trends in food insecurity and receipt of charitable food from 2019 to 2022 using data from the Urban Institute’s Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey. Results show that the share of adults reporting food insecurity in the last year increased from 20 percent to 24.6 percent between 2021 and 2022, and that Hispanic/Latinx and Black adults were consistently at greater risk of food insecurity than white adults. Additionally, the rate of charitable food receipt in 2022 was down from the height of usage in 2020, but still higher than the pre-pandemic rate in 2019. Finally, adults whose grocery costs increased a lot in 2022 were nearly twice as likely to be food insecure and often resorted to coping strategies such as reducing the amount of food they bought or withdrawing money from savings.

Q&As

AI Comments

👍 This article provides an important overview of the issue of food insecurity and its implications, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. It provides a comprehensive review of the rise in food price inflation and the corresponding increase in food hardship experienced by many households.

👎 This article lacks any concrete solutions to the issue of food insecurity and fails to highlight the unique challenges faced by different demographics. It is also overly focused on the data and statistics, without exploring the social and economic implications.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about food insecurity and how it has increased between 2021 and 2022 due to inflation and the expiration of COVID-19 pandemic aid. Rates of food insecurity were not statistically different from the rates in 2019, but Hispanic/Latinx and Black adults were consistently at greater risk of food insecurity than white adults. Furthermore, 16.0 percent of adults reported receiving charitable food in 2022, which was down from 17.4 percent in 2021 but higher than the pre-pandemic rate in 2019.

Friend: That's really concerning. What are the implications of this article?

Me: Well, it highlights the importance of social safety nets and the need to address the systemic disparities that have resulted in higher levels of food insecurity among certain communities. It also points to the need for economic policies that help people cope with rising costs of living and the overall financial burden of the pandemic. Finally, it shows the need for improved access to charitable food and other assistance programs in order to reduce food insecurity.

Action items

• Research local food banks and pantries to learn more about the services they provide and how to access them.
• Reach out to local and state representatives to advocate for policies that address food insecurity and hunger.
• Educate yourself and others about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other government programs that can help those in need.

Technical terms

Main Navigation

This is the main menu of a website, which allows users to navigate to different pages or sections of the website.

Brief

A brief is a short summary of a larger document or report.

Inflation

Inflation is an increase in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.

Food Insecurity

Food insecurity is a lack of access to enough food for an active, healthy life.

Urban Institute

The Urban Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy research and educational organization that studies the social, economic, and governance problems facing the United States.

Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS)

The Well-Being and Basic Needs Survey (WBNS) is a nationally representative survey of more than 7,500 adults ages 18 to 64 conducted by the Urban Institute.

Charitable Food

Charitable food is food that is donated to a charitable organization and distributed to people in need.

Hispanic/Latinx

Hispanic/Latinx is an ethnic group composed of people who are descended from Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America.

Black

Black is an ethnic group composed of people of African descent.

White

White is an ethnic group composed of people of European descent.

Financial Coping Methods

Financial coping methods are strategies used to manage financial difficulties, such as reducing spending or taking on debt.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families.

From Safety Net to Solid Ground

From Safety Net to Solid Ground is a research initiative of the Urban Institute that focuses on improving the safety net and reducing poverty.

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