As the pandemic continues on, the number of families lacking access to healthy food is increasing.
According to the organization Project Bread, the number of families who are food insecure in the state has doubled. For Black and Latino residents, that rate is higher.
Project Bread president and CEO Erin McAleer said there are many factors that lead to food insecurity. Many food insecure families aren't aware they can pull themselves out of it through help from the federal government, she said, and surveys show that benefits like SNAP are drastically underutilized in Massachusetts.
McAleer and other advocates are making a push this week to inform people who might be eligible for those benefits to check all their options.
Meanwhile, organizations like the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation are working to help ease food insecurity in the Commonwealth. According to foundation president and CEO Don Cox, the Food4Vets program originally served just veterans and their families. But like many of the foundation's programs, it has expanded aid to everyone in need in the state.
Click on the audio player above to listen to the full episode.
Segments:
Erin McAleer - 2:01
Don Cox -15:40
