Just four years ago, in 2020, an estimated 17.7% of Worcester residents were considered food insecure, and that number has now more than doubled, according to a recent report conducted by the Worcester County Food Bank’s Food Equity Center and the 2023 Worcester Community Food Assessment.
As of 2023, the percentage of Worcester residents who are food insecure ranges from 11.2% to 38.1%. The Community Food Assessment surveyed food-insecure Worcester residents about their experiences obtaining food from supermarkets, federal nutrition assistance programs such as SNAP, and local food pantries. Food insecurity has been steadily increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report.
The study’s participants were primarily low-income earners and those living in temporary housing, and it found that one of the main problems they face is rising food prices due to inflation.
To combat this, Casey Barnes, co-director of the Center for Food Equity, laid out several ways organizations can help those experiencing food insecurity, emphasizing the importance of outreach and access.
“We need to solidify this so that people can really take a ‘there’s no wrong door’ approach, and no matter what organization they’re interacting with, SNAP can get people to the easiest path,” Burns said.
U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern added that outreach efforts are crucial to reducing food insecurity.
“There are people in every city and town in America who are food insecure,” McGovern said. “We need to use the advocacy teams that we’ve built to not only advocate for expanded benefits, but to encourage outreach and application assistance.”
When it comes to advocacy, McGovern said “the stakes couldn’t be higher.” As a member of the Agriculture Committee, McGovern said the farm bill would cut nutrition supplements and SNAP by $30 billion and prevent SNAP benefits from adapting to certain nutrition standards over time.
Burns noted that communication was the top request from study participants, with people seeking assistance often saying they lack information about how to enroll in SNAP and other food assistance programs.
Burns said misinformation and language difficulties have led to targets.
“We need to make sure that information about food assistance programs is available,” Burns said. “Whether it’s language access or how people access information, we need to make sure that we provide targeted information and communication to specific populations.”
McGovern also said it was important for health care workers to understand the importance of nutrition and medically tailored diets, and noted that transportation was a key factor in accessing healthy foods.
“We know that a major barrier to food access is transportation, and some issues can be easily fixed with a plan, like improving bus routes and schedules,” McGovern said. “What this report does well is recognize that the fight for food security goes beyond just funding SNAP. It also includes transportation, health care and housing.”
With food prices rising, it can be hard to find affordable food for families, McGovern said, and the survey found that 67% of respondents said lower food prices would make healthy foods and fresh produce more affordable.
“I hope we can use today’s discussions to develop specific plans for each of the priority areas that have been identified and put those plans into action as quickly as possible,” McGovern said. “We can end hunger in Worcester.”
