Food Insecurity During a Time of Uncertainty

Reports of long lines at National Guard distributed food drives highlight just how easily and quickly the average Vermonter can become food insecure. Every car in the line tells the story of a family who is living with the uncertainty of how they will provide adequate nourishment for the ones they love. Many families do not experience the personal, physical sensation of hunger, but they live every day with food insecurity resulting from a lack of available financial resources for basic needs. Economic uncertainty, and a lack of hope about the future, are at the heart of food insecurity. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity is a complex societal issue, and the extreme financial challenges and fears created by the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbate the problem. People who are food insecure may be at an increased risk for a variety of adverse health outcomes and health disparities, including decreased nutrient intake, hypertension, and obesity. Even though food insecurity is closely related to poverty, not all people who live below the poverty line experience food insecurity. Overlapping issues such as a lack of affordable housing, limited transportation, chronic health problems, low wages, and social isolation often exist in food insecure households. As reported by the Welfare Info website that compiles US census data, the poverty rates in Washington and Caledonia Counties of Vermont range from 11.8% to 12.3%. In Essex County, the poverty rate jumps to 15.5%. An average of one out of every 8.8 residents of Vermont lives in poverty. These are our neighbors, friends, and family members who deal with the financial struggles to meet their basic needs, such as housing, transportation, and food. 

In the spring of 2020, the pandemic, and heightened concern over resource availability, substantially increased the requests for food support at Faith in Action. From March to April 2020, the Cabot and Lyndonville Faith in Action locations experienced an 83% month-over-month increase in the number of community members needing supplemental food support. The unprecedented and immediate increase in food support demand has continued into May and June, and the higher demand is expected to persist through the fall and winter. 

Nonprofits like Faith in Action, fill a critical need in our Vermont Communities, especially during a time of crisis. While many food pantries closed in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic and lack of available employees and volunteers to distribute food, Faith in Action increased food-related support services while adjusting distribution methods to ensure volunteers, employees, and the community are kept safe. In Cabot, drive-thru food shares occur twice monthly so recipients can stay safely in their car while volunteers load the food. Lyndonville expanded the pantry hours and provide delivery services upon request to homebound community members. The Vermont Foodbank Vermonters Feeding Vermonters (VFV) Program supports Faith in Action’s purchase of high-quality fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, and eggs directly from Vermont growers to share with Vermonters facing food insecurity. Through the VFV program, Faith in Action is supporting local food producers, including Burtt’s Orchard, Provender Farm, and the Wilder Farm. As part of another critical pandemic related program, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, Faith in Action distributes milk, cheese, vegetables, and chicken at our Cabot and Lyndonville locations. This new program supports community members now and into the fall and winter when the need for food support is likely to increase. 

Food support provides relief to already stretched households experiencing financial constraints and resulting food insecurity. During a time of crisis, even small acts of support help folks get through a challenging time and, as a result, lessen household stress. An example is Sally (name changed to protect privacy), who called a Faith in Action volunteer on a Saturday as she needed an emergency food box. Sally has three small children at home, and she was waiting on a delayed unemployment check. The box of food provided by Faith in Action included pasta, rice, bread, meat, cheese, milk, cereal, canned and fresh vegetables, and treats for the children. Sally’s appreciation was witnessed first-hand through her tears of relief and expressed gratitude for helping her family get through the week ahead. 

Faith in Action’s programs are delivered and driven by a neighbor-helping-neighbor model where dedicated community volunteers contribute hours to sort, prepare, and distribute food. Many volunteers deliver boxes of food and, in turn, provide essential community connections to homebound neighbors. Often Faith in Action volunteers also qualify as clients who receive needed food, and their willingness to volunteer provides ownership and pride to the process of supporting others in the community. The neighbors-helping-neighbors model is part of the Faith in Action culture and has been woven into the food delivery process since the organization’s inception back in 2004. 

Faith in Action is a 501(c)(3)3 nonprofit organization with offices in Cabot and Lyndonville, Vermont. As a Vermont Foodbank network partner, Faith in Action distributes food along with providing a drop-in center, socialization opportunities, healthy living and eating programs, and community support in the form of transportation and aid to those in need. If you or someone you know from the Cabot or Lyndonville area can benefit from supplemental food during these challenging times, please contact Faith in Action by calling 802-563-3322 in Cabot or 802-626-1212 in Lyndonville. Food share dates and pantry hours can be found online at www.faithinactionvt.org.