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January 3, 2024- State Health Department Releases Report On Food Insecurity Among Adults

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January 3, 2024- State Health Department Releases Report On Food Insecurity Among Adults

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The Bronx, Queens, Kings, Herkimer, and Oswego are the counties with the highest rates of food insecurity among adults.

39% of adults in the Bronx experience food insecurity.

22.1% of adults in Richmond County experience food insecurity.

24.9% of adults in New York State experience food insecurity.

Hunger can result in malnutrition, an inability to concentrate, anxiety and depression.

Adults who experience food insecurity are more likely to report diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and cancer.

There are several programs that support increasing food and nutrition security across the state:

The Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program offers

The Child and Adult Care Food Program

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Adults Experiencing Food Insecurity Have Higher Probability of Chronic Diseases

Counties With Highest Rates of Food Insecurity Among Adults Include Bronx, Queens, Kings, Herkimer, and Oswego

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 3, 2024) - The New York State Department of Health today released a report on food insecurity, Self-Reported Food Insecurity Among New York State Adults by County, BRFSS 2021, which shows the counties with the highest rates of food insecurity among adults are the Bronx, Queens, Kings, Herkimer, and Oswego. Food insecurity is characterized by limited or uncertain access to adequate food due to limited economic resources. The full report can be found here.

"No one should have to go hungry," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "Hunger stresses the body and mind, and can result in malnutrition, inability to concentrate, anxiety, and depression. In addition, adults who experience food insecurity are more likely to report chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and cancer. The Department remains committed to fighting hunger and promoting health across this state."

The report highlights self-reported food insecurity data among adults across New York State, including:

Among New York City boroughs, the percentage of adults who experience food insecurity is highest in the Bronx (39 percent) and lowest in Richmond County (22.1 percent).

Counties outside of New York City with the highest percentage of adults who experience food insecurity are Herkimer (28.8 percent) and Oswego (26.2 percent).

Counties outside of New York City with the lowest percentage of adults who experience food insecurity are Wyoming (11.2 percent), Columbia (12.3 percent), and Lewis (12.5 percent).

According to the report, approximately one in four adults (24.9 percent) in New York State experience food insecurity. Within New York State, the percentage of adults who report that they are food insecure varies by county and ranges from 11.2 percent to 39 percent. Adults experiencing food insecurity have a higher probability of several chronic diseases, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, asthma, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease, the report indicated.

The Department administers several programs that support increasing food and nutrition security across the State.

The Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program supports a network of more than 2600 emergency food providers who distribute healthy food and fresh produce to individuals who request assistance. The Nourish New York Initiative administered by the Department in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and Markets provides funding to support the purchase and distribution of New York State grown or produced items, including dairy products and produce.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) serves more than 425,000 individuals through the provision of breastfeeding support, nutrition education, supplemental nutritious food benefits, and health care referrals.

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program offers free, nutritious foods to adults aged 60 years of age and older. Approximately 36,000 older adults participate in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program monthly. During the summer months, participants also receive additional benefits to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets through the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program is available in New York City and Long Island only. The program's goal is to improve the health of low-income individuals who are at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious United States Department of Agriculture foods.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a nutrition education and meal reimbursement program that helps providers serve nutritious and safely prepared meals and snacks to children and adults in daycare settings. The Child and Adult Care Food Program is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture and continues New York's commitment to promote the health and well-being of its residents. All children and adults who attend programs such as childcare centers, community-based adult centers, afterschool programs, homeless shelters, and family daycare programs receive meals.

More information on the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program can be found here.

More information about the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children can be found here.

More information on the Commodity Supplemental Food Program can be found here.

More information about the Child and Adult Care Food Program can be found here.

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State Health Department Releases Report On Food Insecurity Among Adults

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ALBANY, N.Y. (January 3, 2024) - The New York State Department of Health today released a report on food insecurity, Self-Reported Food Insecurity Among New York State Adults by County, BRFSS 2021, which shows the counties with the highest rates of food insecurity among adults are the Bronx, Queens, Kings, Herkimer, and Oswego.

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May 13, 2024- Food insecurity on Long Island: The struggle to make ends meet just above SNAP thresholds

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May 13, 2024- Food insecurity on Long Island: The struggle to make ends meet just above SNAP thresholds

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Long Island has a high cost of living, so although some people might have enough money to live in other places of the country, it is difficult inn Long Island.

Additionally, some people's salaries exceed the income limits to get SNAP food benefits.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity in Long Island increased

According to 1 2022 report, to live on Long Island, a family of four should have an income of around $100,000 for basic necessities.

The SNAP benefits are given to people who have a gross income limit of $45,000 in NY for a family of 4

In Suffolk County, 40% of the 80,000 food insecure residents earned above the gross income SNAP threshold in 2021

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Food insecurity on Long Island: The struggle to make ends meet just above SNAP thresholds – Public -Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI)

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Food insecurity on Long Island: The struggle to make ends meet just above SNAP thresholds

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December 11, 2024- Food insecurity hits Northshore families hard

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December 11, 2024- Food insecurity hits Northshore families hard

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There is a record-high demand for food assistance

2024 was the highest demand for food in this organization's 32 years.

Cultivating Culture is an organization that teaches families to grow their own food

The founder of Cultivating Culture has also created a community fridge stocked with pre-packaged meals.

They are seeing that it is not just the poor who needs assistance- the middle class also does

They are going to many churches as resources:

Church of the Nazarene

Community Christian Concern

First Baptist Church

Greater Northshore Full Gospel:

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Food insecurity hits Northshore families hard

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Nonprofits and food banks are stepping up to address record-high demand for food assistance, helping families in need with immediate relief and long-term solutions.

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June 19, 2023- ‘Food apartheid’ starves minority neighborhoods on Long Island

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June 19, 2023- ‘Food apartheid’ starves minority neighborhoods on Long Island

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Hempstead is a food desert

A food desert is a place where fresh, nutritious groceries are difficult to access.

The non-profit Community Solidarity runs food share programs to connect residents with free vegetarian meals.

More than 220,000 residents of Long Island are food insecure.

65,000 of these are children

Around two dozen communities on Long Island are food deserts.

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J ames Boone wakes up at 6 a.m. nearly every Sunday, driving his van to Trader Joe's and other grocery stores on Long Island in order to rescue food destined for the dumpster. After gathering mountains of produce, Boone heads to a parking lot in his hometown of Hempstead, where a small army of volunteers joins him in unloading the bounty and packing the food into hundreds of cardboard boxes.

Hempstead, like about two dozen other communities on Long Island, is a food desert, meaning fresh, nutritious groceries are difficult to access. Boone volunteers with the non-profit Community Solidarity, which runs food share programs to connect residents with free vegetarian meals. More than 220,000 people on Long Island face food insecurity, meaning they might not have easy access to quality food. Of that, some 65,000 are children, according to statistics from Long Island Cares, a large food bank on Long Island.

Nicholas St. Fleur/STAT

In this episode, we speak with Jon Stepanian, president and CEO of Community Solidarity, and volunteers like Boone who work together to address food insecurity on Long Island. Jessica Rosati, the Chief Program Officer for Long Island Cares Inc, tells us about the state of food insecurity. And Tambra Raye Stevenson, founder and CEO for WANDA: Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture, provides us with context about how systemic racism impacts the U.S. food system, creating what she refers to as "food apartheid."

Nicholas St. Fleur/STAT

You can subscribe to "Color Code" on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Google Podcasts , SoundCloud , and elsewhere. New episodes will be released every other Monday.
A transcript of this episode is available here This podcast was made possible with support from the Commonwealth Fund . .
Read more on some of the topics discussed in this episode:

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'Food apartheid' starves minority neighborhoods on Long Island

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Hempstead, like about two dozen other communities on Long Island, is a food desert, meaning fresh, nutritious groceries are difficult to access.

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2022- Food Insecurity among the Overall Population in the United States

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2022- Food Insecurity among the Overall Population in the United States

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In Nassau County 2022, the food insecurity rate was 7%

55% of Nassau County residents were above the SNAP threshold

45% of Nassau County residents were below the SNAP threshold

The average meal cost was $4.65

The annual food budget shortfall was $85,171,000

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Copyright © 2021 Feeding America. All Rights Reserved. Feeding America is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit recognized by the IRS.
Tax ID Number: 36-3673599

Photos associated with client stories feature the actual person referenced. Other images are for illustrative purposes only.

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Hunger & Poverty in the United States | Map the Meal Gap

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The food insecurity rate in the United States was 10.9% in 2019. Explore a map of hunger statistics in the United States at the state and local level.

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April 9, 2018- The Major Impact of Food Insecurity on Long Island

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April 9, 2018- The Major Impact of Food Insecurity on Long Island

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In 2014, one in four adults on Long Island faced insecurity at one point during the year

In 2018, there were over 160,000 people on Long Island who were food insecure

Families do not need to be living in poverty to be considered food insecure

34% of people in Suffolk County who are food insecure don't qualify for SNAP

Each day, over 63,000 people struggle without support to get enough food

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One in four adults living on Long Island faced food insecurity at one point during the year.