An estimated 17 million households reported problems finding enough food last year. That's a sharp jump from 2021 when boosted government aid helped ease the pandemic-induced economic shutdown.

An estimated 17 million households reported problems finding enough food in 2022 — a sharp jump from 2021 when boosted government aid helped ease the pandemic-induced economic shutdown.

A new Department of Agriculture report, released Wednesday, paints a sobering picture of post-pandemic hardship with “statistically significant” increases in food insecurity across multiple categories. Using a representative survey sample of roughly 32,000 American households the report said 12.8% (17 million households) reported occasional problems affording enough food in 2022 — up from 10.2% (13.5 million households) in 2021 and 10.5% (13.8 million households) in 2020.

Analysts and food security professionals point to the dual impact last year of high inflation and the gradual expiration of multiple pandemic-era government assistance measures.

    • agitatedpotato@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      0·
      9 months ago

      Been volunteering at a food pantry and a lot of people would be shocked how many people there, volunteers included, who like him. I can also offer anecdotal evidence that where I’m at were distributing more food than we ever have. Donations aren’t keeping up but they have a purchasing budget. We can go weeks without certain foodstuffs and sometimes when it all hits at once the storefront looks really grim. The town and state are smart enough to keep giving them what they need budget wise, but that’s all that’s keeping a lot of people’s heads over water right now.