Did you know that over 1.4 million Michiganders face food insecurity?
According to the newly released 2024 Map the Meal Gap report (using 2022 data) done by Feeding America, the overall food insecurity rate for the state of Michigan is 14.2%. In our service area consisting of West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, the local food insecurity rate is 13.6%, which is a 28.6% increase from the year prior.
Map the Meal Gap helps to improve our understanding of people and places facing hunger. One main takeaway from this new data is that food insecurity is increasing— everywhere. In fact, every single county in our 40-county service area saw increases in the number of people experiencing hunger.
Another striking revelation is that the food insecurity rate among children saw a 52.5% increase from the year prior. This is especially alarming considering how important it is for youth to have the nourishing food they need to properly learn and develop.
After hearing this, you might be left wondering, why? Why is the need for food increasing so much?
These increases are complex, but there are a couple of reasons that can help us understand why food insecurity is on the rise. One being that rising food prices significantly impact people’s ability to purchase sufficient food, as reported by the USDA. Evidence of this is shown by how the national average cost per meal is at the highest it’s been in the last two decades.
A real example of this that really hits home for us is that Leelanau County, located in the northwest side of the Lower Peninsula, has the highest meal cost in the entire country. For individuals struggling to afford housing, utilities, transportation and other necessitates, the additional burden of high food prices can have a significant impact on household budgets.
Another reasoning behind the increases is the expiration of pandemic government assistance, such as the Child Tax Credits, which left many families with restricted budgets. Federal and local support programs expanded in response to the economic downturn that began at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and for a period of two years food insecurity levels were stable or declined. Now that these programs have ended and prices have risen, food insecurity levels have also increased.
While these numbers show how big of a problem hunger is, there is hope to be found in the fact that just one person can make an impact by joining the fight to end hunger. By giving your time, talent or funds to the food bank, you can help people in need right in your community.