Nearly 350,000 Middle and West Tennesseans are food insecure, but do you know what food insecurity means?

We talk about food insecurity a lot.

Close to 350,000 Middle and West Tennesseans are food insecure, our feeding programs aid food-insecure families, children, and seniors, and every year we strive to lower food insecurity rates in our community.

But do you know what food insecurity means?

Food Insecurity

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), food insecurity is a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.

Under the umbrella of food insecurity, the USDA differentiates between low food security y very low food security.

Someone facing low food security is eating a diet of reduced quality and variety.

For example, a family who relies on fast food for the convenience and low price has low food security. They’re eating meals, but those meals are low in quality and nutrients.

A person facing very low food security not only has reduced access to nutritious food but also goes through times where there is nothing to eat.

This could be a senior whose SNAP benefits run out toward the end of the month, so they go without eating until their next check arrives.

In Middle Tennessee, we see a full range of food insecurity. It’s through your support that we can help our neighbors in need and bring the number of food-insecure individuals in Middle and West Tennessee down to zero.

Learn more about food insecurity in the United States, your state, or even your county.