A national partner of Food Gatherers, Feeding America, has released new data showing the number of people facing food insecurity in Washtenaw County has risen.
Food Gatherers reports an increase in food insecurity among Washtenaw residents, rising from 12.5% to 14% compared to last year’s data.
Director of Community Food Programs, Markell Miller says the rise is attributed to the increasing cost-of-living and the reduction of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits associated with the COVID pandemic. Out of approximately 51,000 residents facing food insecurity, fewer than half qualify for SNAP benefits.
“There are many people in higher cost of living counties like Washtenaw that are ineligible for SNAP because they make too much. Many people in our community struggle to make ends meet, and if they need food, they’re going to have to turn to a pantry.”
Miller says Food Gatherers is closely monitoring for additional factors that could impact food security, such as continuing economic inflation or any federal changes to SNAP and Medicaid programs.
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