Child Food Insecurity on Long Island

Unveiling the Crisis: Child Food Insecurity on Long Island

By Eric Dahl & Isabelle Panza

In 2023, 3.3 million U.S. households with children faced food insecurity. Numbers like this demand immediate attention and collective action.

Our latest white paper examines the child food insecurity crisis affecting one in six New York children. We spotlight Long Island’s unique challenges and propose solutions to overcome them.

We also explore federal programs struggling with the rising number of food-insecure children, many of whom are outside their reach. On Long Island, high living costs compound the issue, while federal program thresholds fall short. Yet, there remains a glimmer of hope in the form of critical state programs such as SNAP and WIC that assist hundreds of thousands of New York children.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal funding for free meals was a lifeline for hungry kids, but those programs have been discontinued. Across the state, 726,000 students lost access to crucial meals, affecting their well-being and stability. Read our white paper to see how state government now works to close that gap.

Approximately 65,000 Long Island children rely on food banks, yet only a fraction qualify for free school meals. Unpaid meal “debt” shadows these children, revealing the intersection of public health, economic disparity, and education. Read our paper to learn how the advocacy team at Long Island Cares is working to end this generational struggle.

We deliver a comprehensive examination of the problem plaguing our children and offer transformative solutions to ensure that no child goes hungry. Submit your email now for exclusive access to the complete report.