Hudson Valley Food Insecurity
A Discussion on Food Insecurity
A local resident uses a community fridge to get food. Credit: Via Sigmund, Pexels
With rising inflation driving up the price of food across the country, nonprofits in the Hudson Valley are working to combat food insecurity. The problem of food insecurity is estimated to affect one in ten Hudson Valley residents according to FeedHV.Org.
Food insecurity exists when people don't have or can’t get enough nourishing food. People often become food insecure due to poverty or a lack of access to grocery stores. Local organizations in the Hudson Valley work to provide residents with substantial food options through food banks, soup kitchens, free marketplaces, community fridges, summer lunch programs and more.
“At Fareground, we believe that everyone has a right to food,” said Jamie Levato, Executive Director of Fairground in Beacon, N.Y. “With a focus on nourishing food and accessibility for all, Fareground promotes the necessary changes to build local food security.”
Fareground is just one of the many nonprofit organizations in the Hudson Valley whose mission is to provide community members with nourishing food and decrease food insecurity in the area. Many of the food options that Fareground offers are from local farms including a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables along with frozen items, meat and dairy.
“We try to make it so there is no stigma involved,” Levato said. “More than half of our volunteers first connected with us because they came to get food. So many of the people who now come to get food have a shared experience with the volunteers.”
In addition to providing food for community members, Fareground works to be sustainable in its food practices. They commonly recycle, compost and avoid disposables whenever possible to prevent waste. In any given week, they typically give out 3,000-4,000 lbs of food to about 150 households.
“We don’t ask people a lot of information because we want to make it as easy as possible,” Levato said. “It doesn’t feel good to ask for help, but we try to make it worth it so people walk away with quality food that they want to eat.”
One organization that works to collect and distribute food to smaller organizations like FareGround is the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. Based in Lathem, N.Y., the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley works in partnership with the food industry to donate unmarketable but still edible food to different organizations in the area.
“The Food Bank of the Hudson Valley supplies food to nonprofit organizations such as food pantries, senior centers, shelters, after-school programs, soup kitchens, low-income daycare centers and others, their website says. “These programs turn our food into nutritious, balanced meals for thousands of men, women and children who otherwise would not get enough to eat.”
Dutchess Outreach is another nonprofit organization that wants to “ensure that everyone, regardless of income, has access to fresh, healthy food, and the support they need.” Located in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., they offer a variety of services such as a fresh market, a pantry and their lunch box program which provides a hot lunch and dinner five days a week to anyone who needs one in Dutchess County.
“In Dutchess County alone 26,130 individuals suffer from food insecurity,” the Dutchess Outreach website says. “That’s 8.8% of the population. Dutchess Outreach acts as a catalyst for community revitalization and exists as an advocate and provider of hunger and relief programs.”
People who want to get involved in combating food insecurity and hunger in their area can sign up to volunteer or donate online. Although food insecurity remains a vital issue in the Hudson Valley community, local organizations such as Fargeround, the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley and Dutchess Outreach are working tirelessly on the ground to provide people with the nourishing food they need to live a healthy lifestyle.