The knowledge that there are hungry people in the world is nothing new to most of us. Some iteration of the statement “Finish your dinner. There are hungry children in Africa who would love that food” is so common to hear that it has become a joke in our society. How have we as a society become so disconnected from a human experience so basic as hunger, that it has be come a bad cliche? There are a multiple reasons why so many of us are disconnected from food insecurity, including a lack of understanding of what food insecurity is, and where we find it.
Hearing the term food insecurity brings to mind the image of great depression styled soup lines, empty kitchen cubers, and hungry children. Though unfortunately this is the reality for some food insecure households, This is not an accurate picture of food insecurity. Food insecurity is different from hunger. Hunger is an individual physiological condition caused by a lack of food, but food insecurity is a systemic issue caused by inequality within our society. The USDA defines food insecurity as
“A household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.”
Adequate food is the key element of this definition. There’s enough food being grown in this country for everyone. Everyday 2,700 calories of food per person are harvested across the world. Exceeding the 2,000 calorie threshold that most adults need to eat to maintain regular body function. There is not a shortage of calories. We face a deficit in nutrition and equal distribution.
Empty calories in the form of processed foods are filling our nation, and leaving us hungry, nutrition deficient, and more susceptible to diseases. With 37.2 million Americans living in food insecure households, this is a serious problem within our country. An issue that hides under an untrue perception of food insecurity. Only 25% of food insecure households report not eating for a day or more because of lack of food. However, 96% of food insecure households say that they can not eat balanced meals because of lack of money. The lack of nutrition has serious ramifications for our country. One of these is the health ramifications of this. Food insecurity is linked to increases in: diabetes, heart desires, cancer, obesity, negative effects on mental and physical health, asthma, depression, high blood pressure, as well as a general susceptibility to all sicknesses. Along with these health risks comes an academic risk that could have rippling effects throughout our society that will be felt for generations. Children growing up in food insecure houses often have a harder time focusing in school, and act out more frequently. The ramifications of food insecurity are those of stress, anxiety, poor health, loss of academic achievement, and a sense of insecurity in all aspects of life, more than they are hunger. This different framing needs to be adopted to realize the extent of food insecurity in our nation. We also need to look into our own backyards to realize how close this issue is to home.
When thinking of the hungry, the notions that come to mind of developing nations, and soup kitchens blind us to the reality we see in our own communities. This is not to say that the food security discrepancy between developed nations and the developing world is not an issue, but to look at this as the only issue of food security hides the insecurity that we have in our own backyards. The Gunnison valley has the feel of an isolated mountain community. It is easy for us to choose to disengage from the outside world if we want to. To imagine that problems of the world don’t effect, but they do come creeping in. Food insecurity in particular is problematic for this valley. Currently 40% of school children in Gunnison receiving free or reduced lunches, and the Gunnison Food Pantry is currently serving over 100 people a week. Food insecurity is very much present within the Gunnison Valley. Fortunately this is an issue that is not going uncontested. The Emergency Food Network has been created to combat food insecurity. You can find the list of members of this network in the Gunnison Times, as well as the CB News. The current list is:
Pandemic Response team
Delivery service from grocers, pharmacies, and Food Pantry for
Gunnison County residents; call Assistance Hotline 970-641-7959
Dept. of Health and Human Services
Public assistance for citizens who qualify; call 970-641-3244
Gunnison Watershed School District
Grab-and-go sack breakfasts and lunches for children 18 and
younger; pickups M-F 8-9 in Gunnison and CB and delivery routes; Gunnisonschools.net/lunch menu
Gunnison County Food Pantry
Gunnison Pantry on SW corner of Main & Ohio
M 1-4, W 1-7, Th 10-2 for 60+
Crested Butte Pantry at Oh Be Joyful Church
Th 4:30-6 Emergency Food at 30 locations around county for anyone-in-need; Gunnisoncountryfoodpantry.org
Mountain Roots Food Project
Free Market Produce Stand for anyone Mon 4:30-6 at 515 S Main, Bills Giving Park. Tue 4:30-6 at Totem Pole park, 4:30-6 at the CB south bus station
Immigrantes Unides
Financial aid for immigrants-in-need; call 888-540-4858
Young at Heart
Lunches M/W/F Noon; delivery for homebound Adults 60+;
financial assistance available; call 970-641-2107
Living Journeys
Meal deliveries for cancer patents
All of these organizations are banning together to support our valley, and they could all use help. If you are interested in helping, all of these organizations would be happy to have the extra support. Together we can work to support our valley through these hard times.