By Craig Anderson

MILFORD — The Food Bank of Delaware’s president and CEO believes the state “is going backwards in terms of the number of Delawareans who are food-insecure.”

Cathy Kanefsky bases that on the results of a Feeding America study for 2022, released May 25.

“The report quantifies what we have been seeing on the ground,” she said.

“More people are in need of food assistance. The skyrocketing cost of living, coupled with the end of many pandemic-era assistance programs, has placed a significant burden on individuals and families across our state.”

The report shows that 12.6% of Delawareans were food-insecure in 2022. Ms. Kanefsky noted that the completion of pandemic assistance programs, coupled with high inflation, has driven the number up.

The statistic was 9.9% in 2021, when that charitable aid was still available, she continued.

Earlier percentages were 11.7 in 2017, 11.1 in 2018, 11.0 in 2019 and 10.7 in 2020.

Seeking to drive down that 12.6%, Ms. Kanefsky said, “the Food Bank of Delaware and our network of partner agencies are working each and every day to bridge the gap. Last year, we spent more than $5 million on food, and half of that went to stock food pantries up and down the state.”

However, she emphasized the agency’s continued need.

“The reality is stark, though. Without increased support, this is no longer sustainable. We are currently turning over every stone at the private, federal, state, county and local levels to identify new funding sources.
“The farm bill is also up for reauthorization, and we hope that Congress will seek to expand programming that helps low-income Delawareans, especially as it relates to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and The Emergency Food Assistance Program.”

When it comes to the effects of hunger on a person’s daily life, “we know that food-insecure people have more diet-related health conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes,” Ms. Kanefsky said.

And potential issues aren’t just physical.

“Being food-insecure is stressful. Constantly worrying about where your next meal will come from can cause mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and even post-traumatic stress disorder,” she added.

The cost of food on grocery shelves is also a variable.

“We also know that healthy, fresh foods are more expensive. It may seem counterintuitive, but children who are food-insecure are often affected by obesity. Turning to junk food or fast food makes their dollar stretch further. People make tradeoffs between other expenses, such as paying for prescriptions or utilities, and buying food.”

She also believes there has been more awareness of food insecurity since the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I think people have become more aware as a result of the pandemic because there was a great deal of media attention in the beginning, when long lines were forming across the country, so people could receive food at mass food distributions.”

But, she added, “I don’t know if the general public always connects the dots on who is food-insecure in our community, but they are the essential workers, the service providers, the caregivers and the backbone of many communities.

“They work hard, sometimes multiple jobs, yet find themselves financially fragile, with little to no savings and constant worry about unexpected expenses. Many of those who were extremely empathetic during the pandemic don’t realize how hard it still is for some.”

The lingering effects of the pandemic, as well as inflation and a reduction in services like day care “continue to create significant obstacles,” Ms. Kanefsky said.

The Feeding America study also showed:

• About 9.7% of children, or 40,620 kids, were food-insecure.
• An average meal costed $3.96, and an additional $89,352,000 would be needed to fill the meal gap experienced by food-insecure Delawareans.
• In New Castle County, 12% of the population was food-insecure (68,260 individuals), while 18.3% of the child population was (22,280 kids).
• In Kent County, 13.7% of the population was food-insecure (25,060 individuals), while 22.9% of the child population was (9,540 kids).
• In Sussex County, 13.3% of the population was food-insecure (32,050 individuals), while 20.2% of the child population was (8,800 kids).
For information, visit feedingamerica.org.