• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Confessions of a Grocery Addict
  • Home
  • Recipe Categories
  • About Me
  • The Food Justice Library
  • Subscribe!
  • Food Blog Ghostwriting Services
  • Latest Food & Grocery News
  • Contact
  • Privacy & Accessibility
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipe Categories
  • About Me
  • The Food Justice Library
  • Subscribe!
  • Food Blog Ghostwriting Services
  • Latest Food & Grocery News
  • Contact
  • Privacy & Accessibility
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Categories
  • About Me
  • The Food Justice Library
  • Subscribe!
  • Food Blog Ghostwriting Services
  • Latest Food & Grocery News
  • Contact
  • Privacy & Accessibility
×
Home » Community Resources

Food Insecurity - Organizations Working Toward Change

Published: Oct 14, 2021 · Modified: Jun 22, 2022 by Ash, The Grocery Addict · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Food insecurity can be defined as the lack of access to adequate amounts of healthy, nutritious and culturally appropriate foods, caused by a lack of money or other resources. The fact of the matter is that over 60 million Americans experienced the indignity of food insecurity in 2020, and there is currently no end in sight.

image with a quote that reads hunger is not an issue of charity, it is an issue of justice.

While I am lucky enough to have a full tummy and plenty of food in the pantry, I am hungry for change. I hope you'll join me in the quest for a brighter, more equitable and well-nourished future.

If you are someone who is experiencing food insecurity, please know that you are not alone. Below are links to government assistance programs and privately run, not-for-profit organizations that may be able to help you.

If you are interested in getting involved in this area of food justice, there are plenty of organizations that could use your help. Keep scrolling to learn more.

Know of an organization that should be featured on this page? Let me know in the comments below!

Jump to:
  • The Problem of Food Insecurity in America
  • Private Food Insecurity Organizations
  • Government Food Programs
  • Community Gardens and Kitchens
  • Ways to Get Involved
  • Other Resources:
  • More Community Resources
  • 💬 Reviews

I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for the minds and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Problem of Food Insecurity in America

As if a global pandemic were not enough to bear, COVID-19 has had far reaching implications beyond the illness itself. It may come as a surprise that nearly 1 in 4 American households experienced food insecurity during 2020. Perhaps more shocking is the fact that nearly 30% of households with children were food insecure during the same year.

Unfortunately, while the problem of food insecurity has become more publicized during the last 18+ months, hunger is far from being a new problem. In fact, 10.5% of American households were considered food insecure in 2019; that's over 35 million Americans who didn't have consistent access to nutritious food, before anyone had even heard of COVID.

Hunger is not a problem. It is an obscenity."

Anne Frank

As the wealthiest nation that has ever existed, I find it both alarming and shameful that we haven't found a better way to ensure that everyone has equal access to the most basic human right: food. While there are currently several government programs and many charitable food banks in operation, we haven't yet figured out to keep our nation fed.

I firmly believe that by having more people learn about and discuss these issues, we are more likely to find lasting solutions. We need to:

  • De-stigmatize hunger and poverty.
  • Discuss uncomfortable subjects - like structural racism - and how social norms contribute to the hunger crisis.
  • Demand that the government stop subsidizing commodity crops that are worsening the obesity epidemic and instead focus on incentivizing the purchase of healthy, nutritious foods.

Whether you are someone who is currently living the reality of not knowing where your next meal is coming from, or if you have never known hunger in your life, or you're somewhere in the middle: we need to work together toward a lasting solution to the scourge of hunger.

In the meantime, there are a lot of people out there working for change. Below are both public and private organizations that are working in the food insecurity realm.

If you see any missing content, please let me know in the comments below!

My motto in life is ‘If you think it, you can do it’ and if we all apply that thought we can end hunger the world over."

Dionne Warwick

Private Food Insecurity Organizations

Charitable organizations focusing on alleviating hunger are abundant. If you need food for your family right now, these groups may be able to help.

Photo Credit: www.feedingamerica.org

Need Help? Find Food.

All of us need help sometimes. Now, more than ever, the Feeding America network of food banks is here to help you get access to food and other assistance.

Photo Credit: Yu Hosoi on Unsplash

Solutions to College Food Insecurity

STUDENT HUNGER IS REAL. WE CAN HELP END IT. In the 2020 – 2021 school year, we provided 500,000 meals to students across the nation.

Photo Credit: www.nokidhungry.org

Find Free Meals For Kids

Every kid needs three meals a day to grow up healthy, happy and strong. But today in America, too many children are missing those meals. The good news? This is a problem we know how to solve.

Photo Credit: Nico Smit on Unsplash

State Anti-Hunger Organizations

Find a list of anti-hunger organizations in your state. 

Photo Credit: www.nycfoodpolicy.org

[COVID-19] NYC Neighborhood Food Resource Guides

A comprehensive list of NYC Neighborhood Food Resources

Photo Credit: Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Find Meals For Adults With Limited Mobility

Meals on Wheels focuses on caring for individuals whose diminished mobility makes it hard to shop for food, prepare meals or socialize with others. Generally programs serve adults 60 and over, although age requirements can vary by program and areas served. 

Photo Credit: Ella Olsson on Unsplash

Find Affordable Food

  • This organization connects individuals to affordable foods and promotes community-based solutions that result in self-reliance, economic justice and food security.

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Government Food Programs

If you are looking for food assistance, these government run organizations can help.

Photo Credit: www.mrelief.com

This non-profit organization helps you sign up for Food Stamps - without dozens of pages of confusing government paperwork. Find out how much you could save by seeing if you qualify right now.

Photo Credit: Maria Lin Kim on Unsplash

SNAP Eligibility

SNAP provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency.

Photo Credit: Jomjakkapat Parrueng on Unsplash

Who Gets WIC and How to Apply

WIC provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education to pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five. 

Photo Credit: Ismael Paramo on Unsplash

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The TANF program provides states and territories with flexibility in operating programs designed to help low-income families with children achieve economic self-sufficiency. 

Photo Credit: Imants Kaziluns on Unsplash

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

(TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. 

Photo Credit: Victoriano Izquierdo on Unsplash

Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) works to improve the health of low-income persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA Foods.

Photo Credit: American Heritage Chocolate on Unsplash

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

A federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers.

CACFP also provides reimbursements for meals served to children and youth participating in afterschool care programs, children residing in emergency shelters, and adults over the age of 60 or living with a disability and enrolled in day care facilities. 

Photo Credit: MD Duran on Unsplash

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

The NSLP is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches to children each school day. 

Photo Credit: Felix Kolthoff on Unsplash

School Breakfast Program (SBP)

The SBP provides reimbursement to states to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. State education agencies administer the SBP at the state level, and local school food authorities operate the program in schools.

Photo Credit: S'Well on Unsplash

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

The SFSP is a federally-funded, state-administered program. SFSP reimburses program operators who serve free healthy meals and snacks to children and teens in low-income areas.

Photo Credit: Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program

The SFMNP is designed to:

  • Provide low-income seniors with access to locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey and herbs.
  • Increase the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities through farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community supported agricultural programs.
  • Aid in the development of new and additional farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community support agricultural programs.
Photo Credit: Olga DeLawrence on Unsplash

Other Tax Credits for Low Income Individuals and Families

A number of federal tax credit programs are designed specifically for workers with children and dependents. The goal of these programs is to help workers maintain employment by offsetting the costs related to caring for children and dependents.

This section includes general information about tax credits for families, as well as specific information about the Child Tax Credit, the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, and the Adoption Tax Credit.

In addition, this section explores credits available for those investing in their education and health.

Food is national security. Food is economy. It is employment, energy, history. Food is everything"

José Andrés

Community Gardens and Kitchens

Growing and cooking your own food are some of the best ways to ensure food sovereignty. While there is a learning curve to both gardening and cooking, there are many organizations working to fund and teach about starting these community projects.

Photo Credit: Pauline Bernard on Unsplash

Seed Money - Fund Your Garden

Growing some of our own food either in our backyard or in our community is a simple yet effective way of taking power over our health and well-being while at the same time working for the greater good.

Photo Credit: www.communitygarden.org

Find a community garden 

The American Community Gardening Association (ACGA) is a grassroots non-profit advocacy organization focused on community gardening.  Our mission is to build community by increasing and enhancing community gardening and greening across the United States and Canada.

Photo Credit: farmersfootprint.us

Resources For Farmers

If you are a newbie or intermediate farmer, we welcome you on your regeneration journey! Check out our favorite tips, tricks, resources, and various training programs to get fully equipped with the basics to get in the gardening groove and mood!

Photo Credit: Kenan Kitchen on Unsplash

Harlem Grown

Founded in 2011, we operate local urban farms, increase access to and knowledge of healthy food for Harlem residents, and provide garden-based development programs to Harlem youth.

Photo Credit: Megan Thomas on Unsplash

Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI)

We believe that challenges unique to urban communities like Detroit (e.g., vacant land, food security) present a unique opportunity for community-supported agriculture.

We hope to empower urban communities by using agriculture as a platform to promote education, sustainability, and community while simultaneously reducing socioeconomic disparity.

Photo Credit: Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Urban Harvest St. Louis

We grow healthy produce across a network of seven urban farms in the heart of St. Louis and donate the majority of the harvest to nonprofit partners serving communities with limited or non-existent access to healthy, nutritious food. We also educate and engage the surrounding community in these efforts.

Photo Credit: ronfinley.com

The Ron Finley Project

IF YOU GROW TOGETHER, YOU GROW TOGETHER

RFP's mission is to grow strong communities that think presently, act intentionally, and lay the groundwork for something beyond what we can see. Help us spread this dream of edible, urban gardens, and nourish our neighborhoods one city-block at a time.

Photo Credit: Elaine Casap on Unsplash

Whitelock Community Farm 

Whitelock Community Farm provides affordable and sustainable fresh food to members of the community, supports neighborhood job creation, and helps promote gardening, composting, and positive community activity.

In support of their mission, they also host farm-based learning programs such as gardening and cooking classes for children and adults.

Photo Credit: ampleharvest.org

AmpleHarvest.org helps millions of backyard gardeners easily find a local food pantry to which they can donate their extra garden produce.

Photo Credit: freshfoodconnect.org

Our mission is to create a more healthy, sustainable, and local food system by creating a market for homegrown food. 

If we can conquer space, we can conquer childhood hunger."

Buzz Aldrin

Ways to Get Involved

Ending hunger in the world is a monumental task, and we need all hands on deck. If you are looking for ways to get involved, these are excellent places to start.

Photo Credit: foodisfreeproject.org

Food is Free Project

The Food is Free Project is a worldwide movement of people growing and sharing food freely. We encourage connecting with your neighbors by planting a front yard garden or sharing your harvest with a #foodisfree table.

Photo Credit: www.littlefreepantry.org

little free pantry

The mini pantry movement is a grassroots, crowdsourced solution to immediate and local need. Whether a need for food or a need to give, mini pantries help feed neighbors, nourishing neighborhoods. 

Photo Credit: Ello on Unsplash

freedge  | community fridges |

Freedge is a sharing mechanism aiming to reduce food insecurity and food waste, building a stronger community. We promote equal access to healthy food through the installation of community fridges (public refrigerators) that are used to share food and ideas at the neighborhood level.

Photo Credit: wck.org

Volunteer with World Central Kitchen

WCK uses the power of food to nourish communities and strengthen economies through times of crisis and beyond.
Photo Credit: secure.feedthechildren.org

Feed the Children

Struggling children and families need your help more than ever during the continued pandemic. Each dollar donated will provide $8 worth of the food and essentials we are working tirelessly to get into the hands of the most vulnerable in the US and around the world.

Photo Credit: Wendy Aros Routman on Unsplash

Rise Against Hunger

We’re on the road to end hunger, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Goal #2 of Zero Hunger. From the implementation of sustainable community development projects to our meal packaging program that harnesses the passion of local volunteers, we strive to make an impact on hunger by building resilience, self-sufficiency and empowerment in communities worldwide.

Photo Credit: foodfirst.org

Food First - Get Involved

People-power makes us what we are: a powerful, rooted, independent force dedicated to ending the injustices that cause hunger.

Photo Credit: www.heifer.org

Heifer USA | Heifer International

Heifer USA supports small-scale farmers to deliver fresh, nutritious food to reliable markets by providing them with training, education and resources needed to sell their products for a fair price. This work is critical to helping small-scale American farmers lift themselves out of poverty.

Photo Credit: mealshare.ca

Buy a meal, Give a meal - A Restaurant Charity Program

Mealshare exists to make sure youth hunger is ended within our lifetime. We’re committed to creating a world where it’s easier to share with those in need, and every child and youth is fed as a result. And, we won’t stop until that’s happened.

Photo Credit: pennyappealusa.org

Penny Appeal USA

Penny Appeal USA is a relief and development organization with a really BIG vision for the world. We want to create the best communities we can; to break the cycles of need and poverty for good. That’s why we work to turn small change into a BIG DIFFERENCE.

Photo Credit: alliancetoendhunger.org

Building the will to end hunger at home and abroad

The Alliance to End Hunger engages diverse institutions to build the public and political will to end hunger at home and abroad.
Photo Credit: Leonie Wise on Unsplash

The #iDREAM Campaign

With each year, the number of meals packed by Hunger Fight volunteers has grown significantly. Hunger Fight staged 68 meal packing events in 2020, producing over 2.49 million meals.

Other Resources:

If you're still hungry for change, I'm right there with you. Our food system needs a massive overhaul! Here are some other resources that you might find interesting:

  • Civil Eats - Civil Eats is a daily news source for critical thought about the American food system. We publish stories that shift the conversation around sustainable agriculture in an effort to build economically and socially just communities.
  • FoodTank - Food Tank is "the think tank for food," dedicated to building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters through policy, education and community organization.
  • FoodCorps - Together with communities, FoodCorps serves to connect kids to healthy food in school. Help us create a future in which every school is a healthy one and every kid has a shot at success.
  • Rock & Wrap It Up! - Check out this award-winning anti-poverty think tank if you'd like to volunteer. They research, discover and nurture potential donors who have renewable assets to share.
  • The National Council on Aging - Check out this great post from NCOA, which has some great tips for helping seniors get the nutrition they need: Resources and Support for Older Adults Living Alone: A Comprehensive Guide (2023)
  • The Gaton Foundation - This Queens, NY company is aiming to activate the community by inspiring optimism, connection, access, social health, and wellness (in all forms—including food access). 

More Community Resources

  • hunger is not an issue of charity it is an issue of justice text on stock image background.
    Food Workers — Fighting Systemic Inequality In The Food System
  • square hero image of a woman putting a bunch of folded 100 dollar bills in her front pocket. Photo credit Sasun Bughdaryan.
    Surprising Secrets Revealed: 13+ Unconventional Ways & Places to Slash Your Grocery Bill
  • Red graphic with a white and yellow egg with text overlay that reads "don't buy, DIY!!! 12 easy breakfast ideas so you can save $$$ and ditch the packaging for good."
    Don't Buy It, DIY It! 12 Budget-Friendly Breakfast Hacks So You Can Save $$$ and Ditch the Packaging for Good
  • square hero image with text that reads "how to combat grocery inflation: actionable tips to save $$$" with cartoon images of a piggy bank and grocery bag.
    How to Combat Inflation at the Grocery Store

More Community Resources

  • yellow square with foods shaped into letters that read "fight food waste."
    How To Reduce Food Waste At Home
  • square hero shot of a red dutch oven filled with vegetable scraps, a chicken carcass, and water to make low-sodium vegetable or bone broth.
    How to Make Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth or Bone Broth for FREE
  • square hero potato bar idea - sliced roasted potato bowls with chili and guacamole.
    Loaded Potato Bar Ideas: What To Serve With Baked Potatoes & Mashed Potatoes
  • square hero tile with text that reads "no spend january challenge: the grocery edition. How to shop your pantry and use what you've got!"
    No-Spend January Challenge: Grocery Edition

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Let's taco 'bout it. Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Melissa says

    January 04, 2025 at 5:15 pm

    The Gaton Foundation in Queens New York is developing programs hoping to provide a multi pronged approach to food insecurity and access.
    @thegatonfoundation
    Thegatonfoundation.org

    Reply
    • Ash, The Grocery Addict says

      January 04, 2025 at 5:19 pm

      Thank you Melissa! I love that—adding it now!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Ash the addict chomping on an apple in the orchard

Hey y'all! My name is Ashley, and I'm the Grocery Addict. I'm here to share my best time saving tips, money saving tricks and store bought grocery hacks to make being the CFO (Chief Food Officer) of your family a little easier. All of my recipes are designed for real, busy people - like you! - who want to eat healthy, homemade food on a tight budget. I can't wait to see you in the kitchen!

If you're interested in getting help writing your blog, simply click on the link in the menu!

Feed My Addiction With A Tip

More about me →

Budget-Friendly DIYs

  • square hero image of a glass jar of creamy lime garlic cilantro sauce on a white plate with lime slices and a sprig of fresh cilantro.
    Creamy Cilantro Garlic Sauce With Jalapeños & Limes

  • square hero image of homemade Lazzaroni amaretto cherries in a glass jar with 2 fresh cherries in front of it.
    How to Make Amaretto Cherries (Lazzaroni Copycat)

  • closeup shot of a scoop of vanilla and strawberry swirl ice cream.
    Easy Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream (No Egg Recipe!)

  • square hero image of 5 flavors of Copycat Egglife Egg White Wraps fanned out on a wooden cutting board.
    Egglife Copycat Egg White Wraps Recipe (All 5 Flavors!)

  • square hero image of a homemade margherita pizza made with 00 flour pizza dough on a piece of crumpled parchment paper.
    00 Flour Pizza Dough With Sourdough Starter (No Yeast)

  • square hero image of a halfway sliced loaf of homemade sourdough bread made with sourdough discard in a bread maker.
    Soft Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread (Bread Machine Recipe)

  • close up showing rough style of semi naked frosting on wedding cake.
    Easy, Inexpensive DIY Wedding Cake

  • closeup shot of costco and starbucks copycat keto egg bites with spinach, feta, and sun dried tomatoes.
    Instant Pot Costco Copycat Egg Bites (Three Flavors!)

Recent Posts

  • square hero image of baked wonton jalapeño poppers on a wooden tray with red pepper flakes as a garnish and a bowl of jalapeño ranch dressing in the corner.
    Jalapeño Popper Wontons With Bacon & Cream Cheese

  • closeup shot of a cheesy ham delight on a spatula with the remaining sliders in their baking dish blurred out below.
    Swiss Cheese Ham Delights (Hawaiian Roll Sliders)

  • closeup shot of a homemade brownie hot fudge sundae made with cherry chocolate cake mix brownies and red wine hot fudge.
    Easy Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae With Red Wine Hot Fudge

  • closeup shot of a sourdough ciabatta bun sliced in half to make a burger.
    Sourdough Ciabatta Buns (Or Dinner Rolls!)

As Seen On...

Footer

ConvertKit Form

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy & Accessibility Policies

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme