CHNA - Flipbook - Page 22
Food Security
Issues related to food access and nutritious food came up frequently in the Community Perspectives Survey.
Community members indicated that health depended on access to nutritious food. Access to nutritious food was
increasingly a challenge due to the rising costs of food. They also highlighted the need for culturally appropriate
food for specific populations. Food Insecurity has increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a
Northwestern University study, “Approximately 40% of the increase in food bank usage comes from individuals
experiencing food insecurity for the first time”, with higher rates of food insecurity among Black and Hispanic
communities.
The quantitative data also demonstrated that specific zip codes in the Verdant Service Area had higher rates of food
insecurity. Verdant is experiencing exponential increase in voucher request from partners and food banks in the service
area have also expressed exponential increased demand for services. Data also demonstrates that deeply embedded
structural inequities contribute to vast inequities and racialized access to food.
Verdant Health Commission 2022
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