Social Initiative
2021 – 2023 CMSNE Social Initiative
Food Insecurity/Sustainability
Food Insecurity is defined as limited or uncertain access to food, a household-level economic social condition of limited access to adequate food. It is distinct from hunger, an individual-level physiological condition that may result from Food Insecurity. Since the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Food Insecurity has increased; food banks or pantries have had to reduce their hours significantly due to staffing issues or a lack of supplies, some have even closed due to shelter in place orders. By the end of April 2020 more than one in five households in the US, two in five households with mothers with children 12 and under were food insecure. Globally, the Pandemic could nearly double the number of people suffering acute hunger; totaling more than a quarter of a billion people within the year.Now that the holidays are past us and the special foods and celebrations are winding down it’s more important than ever to think about those around us that continue to struggle with Food Insecurity.
Read more about food insecurity in a March 2022 article in CMSA Today, Food Insecurity and Its Impact on Health written by MBA, RD, LDN.
Feed America
Through the holiday season there were many promotions and adds encouraging us to donate monies or food items such as the “Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger” campaign, the “buy one donate one” campaign and other collections for local food pantries and soup kitchens but support for those in need should not end there. We all need to help one another in whatever way we can.
Feeding America brings together community farms, food rescue organizations and local pantries throughout New England. Three Squares New England has what they call “hunger relief partners” that have donated more than 4,000,000 pounds of food annually and serves more than 300,000 individuals per year. Colleges are working with organizations to rescue fresh surplus foods and deliver them to their communities. There is a collaboration with all 6 New England States to expand their own farm to institution networks to enhance collaboration within their state, the Farm to Institution New England connection. Please consider a donation by visiting the Feeding America web site: www.feedingamerica.org every little bit helps. You would be surprised to know how much of a difference a small donation like the cost of your drive through coffee can make
You can help, you don’t need to join a large group or be part of a big organization. Just do a search for food pantries, soup kitchens or co-ops within your area and explore what you can do to help, even the smallest donation of food, money or time can make a big difference in someone’s life.
