Three years into the Covid-19 pandemic, hunger continues to plague millions of Americans. Nearly 34 million people in the U.S. live in food-insecure households per USDA’s Economic Research Service. Feeding America, a national network of food banks, highlights that food insecurity extends even beyond these figures, as countless rely on the charitable food system to eat. With rising food costs and potential recession looming, the situation is expected to worsen.

Feeding America‘s CEO, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, states that all counties across the U.S. face food insecurity issues, with communities of color disproportionately impacted. The expiration of Emergency SNAP Allotments has significantly affected regions such as rural South and has led to a reported 40% increase in demand at the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Local initiatives are striving to help. The River Rouge School District partnered with Forgotten Harvest, a local food rescue non-profit, to establish a mobile food drive, dispensing groceries every Wednesday to anyone in need. The project, called “The Pantry of Hope”, was sparked by the realization of widespread hunger among student families during the pandemic. This initiative, despite challenging weather conditions and logistic hurdles, has distributed over 10 million meals in three years.

State and federal resources remain available to those needing food. The USDA operates a National Hunger Hotline and an Interactive map called Meals for Kids Site Finder to connect people to local food resources. Programs like WIC (Women and Infant Children) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) provide food assistance to low-income people and families, though Covid-related SNAP emergency allotments have ended. The USDA advises participants to contact their local SNAP office with questions. TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) also aids low-income families with children, offering monthly cash assistance.

Feeding America’s network extends across the United States, offering contactless options like drive-through pantries and home delivery services. Other resources include FoodFinder, the Food Rescue Locator, the Little Free Pantry Initiative, Meals on Wheels, The Salvation Army, and WhyHunger’s Crowd Sourced Map. These entities aim to alleviate food insecurity and connect individuals with free meal sites and resources.