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ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A new report from the New York State Department of Health shows approximately one in four adults statewide are food insecure. Those numbers providing greater insight to the challenges people are facing right here in the Capital Region when it comes to affording food.
“One in four is a striking number,” Susan Lintner, Director of Community Impact at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, said. “If you think about your house and three other houses next to it, that means one of those houses is struggling with food insecurity.”
The DOH report analyzed a survey of adults and how concerned they were about affording nutritious meals over the past year. In the capital region – Albany county has the highest percentage of adults reporting food insecurity at 21 percent. Other counties like Fulton are higher at 25 percent.
Lintner said the end of pandemic-era SNAP benefits and other support programs led to some of the highest food insecurity numbers the state has seen in recent years.
“For so many people who are making the choice between gas and groceries or medical and groceries, that has really been confounded at this time with rising costs of living,” she said. “For people who are struggling with food insecurity it’s really become a difficult time.”
The food bank uses this data to shape how to serve the area, forming local partnerships like mobile pantries to increase access to food.
“We’re making sure we get food into those communities, talking, making relationships and hopefully building more sustainable programs long term,” Lintner said.
With the 2024 legislative session now underway, she said they’re advocating for free school meals and funding for programs that support food banks.
“We’re really focusing on increased funding for that, which helps us just to keep up with inflation,” Lintner said. “We’re seeing increased demand, also seeing increased costs for food, so we really need that additional support.”
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