We Address Community Issues

FOOD INSECURITY

A Hunger Free America analysis of USDA data shows that
363,433 Bay Staters were without enough to eat between September and October 2021, compared to 535,920 between the same months of 2023 — a 47.5 percent increase. 

The Hunger to Health Collaboratory (H2HC) and Stop & Shop supported the first study of the health-related costs of hunger and food insecurity in Massachusetts. Conducted by Children’s HealthWatch, and released in 2018, the in-depth analysis reports Hinger and food insecurity in our state increased health-related expenditures by an estimated $2.4 billion at least, in 2016 alone.
hunger and food insecurity in our state increased health-related expenditures by an estimated $2.4 billion at least, in 2016 alone.

In Massachusetts, the Rate of Food Insecurity is Approaching its May 2020 Pandemic Peak​

Recent data show that food insecurity rates have been inching closer to the high we saw at the onset of the pandemic. Approximately, 19.5% of all households in MA reported food insecurity in October 2023. Source: U.S. Household Pulse Survey

SNAP Enrollment has Increased Substantially Since the Onset of the Pandemic​

SNAP has been a powerhouse during the pandemic to help individuals and families afford food. As of March 2022, Massachusetts has surpassed 1 million SNAP recipients in the state. Enrollment data continues to see increases in SNAP enrollment. As of August 2023, there are 1,054,215 people are receiving SNAP. Source: Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance Information Provided by Project Bread

 

Food Insecurity Among Households with Children is Trending Upwards​

Recent trends show that food insecurity among households with children in Massachusetts is trending upwards from the low we saw in April 2021 when families were receiving a whole host of federal and state level benefits. Use of the Women, Infants, & Children Nutrition Program (WIC) rose to 52 percent, and School/Summer Meal participation rose to 73 percent. Source: US Census Household Pulse Survey

THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF FOOD TRANSPORTATION

New research outlined in Nature Food shows that food miles, or the distance between the place where food is grown to your plate, has a much higher carbon footprint than previously estimated. The carbon cost is actually around 19 percent of all food-related transportation emissions.

 Taking the entirety of the food supply chain into account, global food miles add up to around 3 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. However, this new study actually shows that eating fruits and vegetables is a noteworthy dilemma. Fresh produce Is especially a major player when it’s out of season and shipped from far away.

Transportation associated with fruits and vegetables added up to around 36 percent of the total food-miles emissions (or over 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent), nearly doubling the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from their production. Meat production, on the other hand, emits around 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, but transportation costs a little over 100 million tons.

The higher emissions for fruits and vegetables is largely due to carbon-intensive refrigeration to keep produce looking as ripe and plump as possible. If the whole population of the planet ate locally, emissions would drop by around a third of a gigatonne. For foods that must be transported, shifting to cleaner vehicles and natural refrigerants could help lessen the blow.
Get More Information