At the present time, food insecurity constitutes a significant challenge for some communities that do not have access to healthy and inexpensive food options in their area of residence. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on many communities, with the growing need for filling the gap in access for underserved communities. The problem to be explored further concerns food insecurity in Wyandotte County (WYCO), which has been experiencing significant laminations in access to essential products for several years. Even though there have been some changes for the better, the current efforts are not enough to guarantee the alleviation of the food insecurity burden in the area.
Wyandotte County has had a history of food insecurity for decades, which denotes the underlying issue of the lack of nutritious food. Because of the high rates of unemployment and poverty, communities throughout the county have struggled with having unrestricted access to sufficient food. Since 2017, there have been some positive changes in WYCO since 2017, with the previous downward trend going upward. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, which left many families without a steady income, caused an increase in the food insecurity rate, from 15% to 21% (Pagán, 2020). When it comes to children specifically, the rate increased significantly from 23% to 32% during the pandemic, which means that almost one in three children residing in WYCO is at an increased risk of hunger. In Wyandotte County, the number of food-insecure individuals has risen from 26,670 (Map the Meal Gap 2020) to 34,460 due to the coronavirus impact (Harvesters Community Food Network, 2020). The number of food-insecure children under the age of 18 increased from 10,550 to 14,930 (Harvesters Community Food Network, 2020). The cost per meal in the county under the Map the Meal Gap initiative is $3, while the annual food budget shortfall is $13,019,000 (Harvesters Community Food Network, 2020). WYCO is among the top three counties in the state of Kansas, with the highest numbers of food-insecure citizens.
Food insecurity at Wyandotte County has developed as a result of several underlying causes, such as poverty in the region, unemployment, as well as inconsistent access to enough healthy foods. Individuals who have struggled with food insecurity are of low socioeconomic status and typically have lower levels of education, a limited income, fewer assets, and limited availability of a consistent income (United Nations, 2020). However, it should be noted that not all individuals of a lower socioeconomic status or inadequate education struggle with food insecurity. Nevertheless, Wyandotte County has been experiencing fluctuations in the unemployment rate, with a record high of 16.00% occurring in April 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic (Trading Economics, 2021). This allows making connections between the socioeconomic status of the population and its increased risk of experiencing food insecurity.
Therefore, the need to address the problem is great as consistent deprivation and insecurity contribute to adverse physical and mental health consequences (Spangenberg, 2001). Most of the previous efforts aimed at addressing the issue entailed the provision of meals to the population, such as the initiative implemented by Harvesters Community Food Network. The organization is dedicated to distributing fresh produce to populations in need, ranging from children to the elderly, as well as collaborating with healthcare organizations to implement food insecurity screenings to identify communities in need (Harvesters Community Food Network, 2020). However, the individual efforts of non-profit organizations are not enough to address the problem at its root. Specifically, the Unified Government must implement consistent efforts to invest in community-targeted food and nutrition initiatives alongside anti-poverty policies that will reduce the occurrence of food insecurity by providing jobs and financial support to the communities (Holden, 2019). While many US regions continue recovering from the pandemic economically, there is a need for the Federal Government to provide financial support for the most disadvantaged communities in each state. Thus, the solution entails a comprehensive approach targeted at addressing Wyandotte County.
The proposal should be carried out as soon as possible, with the Federal Government initiating legislation to protect communities subjected to food insecurity through anti-poverty laws. As the first stage, it is necessary to stop the movement of the proposal to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) spending by 40% (Center on Poverty & Social Policy, 2021). It is necessary that the House Budget proposal does not pass because the cuts to the safety net can lead to adverse consequences for low-income populations. Twenty-four million people will suffer from the budget cut, while the poverty rate among SNAP recipients may increase by up to 10.9% (Center on Poverty & Social Policy, 2021). It is necessary that the government considers such a negative impact of the budget cut ad does not agree to the decision. Besides the prevention of budget cuts that directly target populations in poverty, it is proposed to pass the legislation for the child tax credit (CTC), which can reduce the child poverty rate, thus reducing their risks of food insecurity (The Century Foundation, 2016). In Wyandotte County, children are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity as compared to other counties in Kansas, which is why a CTC program targeting the county and others with the same issue is imperative.
The benefits of the programs exceed the costs because they can bring stability and security to the communities in need and give opportunities for socioeconomic development. Nutrition assistance programs will improve the health outcomes of populations and increase economic self-sufficiency (Bleich et al., 2020). The solution is efficient from the ecological-economic perspective and the standpoint of sustainable development because it will alleviate the continuous burden of the population of having to worry about food insecurity and allow focusing on education, professional development, or finding employment and attaining a steady income. The majority of the costs for the program will be incurred by the US government and non-profits organizing community food programs, while the communities of WYCO that are at a high risk of experiencing food insecurity will receive the benefits.
The main potential obstacle revolves around the desire of the government to invest funds into programs that will support populations that are food insecure are restricted by social deprivation (Sen, 1999). It is unclear whether enough attention is given to the issue in light of the pandemic and persistent healthcare challenges that require significant spending. Because of this, it is imperative that governmental stakeholders understand the severity of the issue and the risks that it entails long term. The next steps for studying the feasibility and implementation of the plan are concerned with the evaluation of the government’s readiness to continue funding anti-poverty programs and guaranteeing access to healthy foods for populations in need.
References
Bleich, S., Moran, A., Vercammen, K., Frelier, J., Dunn, C., Zhong. A., & Fleischhacker, S. (2020). Strengthening the public health impacts of the supplemental nutrition assistance program through policy. Annual Review of Public Health, 41, 453-480. Web.
Center on Poverty & Social Policy. (2021). Anti-poverty policies & programs. Web.
Harvesters Community Food Network. 2020 annual report. Web.
Pagán, G. (2020). Food insecurity continues to grow across Kansas City area. Web.
Sen, A. (1999). Development as freedom. Oxford University Press.
Spangenberg, J. (2001). Investing in sustainable development: the reproduction of manmade, human, natural and social capital. International Journal of Sustainable Development, 4(2), 184-201.
The Century Foundation. (2016). Doing more for our children: Modeling a universal child allowance or more generous child tax credit. Web.
Trading Economics. (2021). Unemployment rate in Wyandotte County, KS. Web.
United Nations. (2020). Policy brief: The impact of COVID-19 on food security and nutrition. Web.