Who Are the Food Insecure?
The USDA defines food insecurity as “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.” On Long Island, the food insecure includes the unemployed and working poor, children, seniors, veterans, the homeless, and other socio-economic and ethnic groups. Long Island Cares exists to both help feed these communities and eradicate the root causes of this blight on America.
To learn more about Food Insecurity and Food Access on Long Island, read our recent studies.
221k
Long Islanders are Food Insecure
Long Island Cares Facts & Stats
65k
Estimated to be children
16k
Seniors visited our pantries
Additional Facts
Who are the hungry on Long Island? Take a look at these Hunger Facts put together by Long Island Cares. Then, join the fight against hunger in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, NY, and make a difference in the lives of thousands of your neighbors.
- 2.7% of all Long Islanders face food insecurity.
- Approximately 221,000 people on Long Island suffer from food insecurity– including 65,000 children
- 39% of food insecure people in Nassau County are not eligible for nutrition assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
- 40% of food-insecure people in Suffolk County are not eligible for nutrition assistance programs.
- Statewide, more than 2.2M New Yorkers classify as food insecure.
- Approximately 40% of food-insecure Long Island households are above the poverty level but don’t make enough to keep up with the high cost of living in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
- Children who are hungry are more likely than their peers to experience behavioral issues, reduced ability to learn social skills and impaired cognitive learning – even permanent brain damage. Find out more about Children’s Nutrition programs available through Long Island Cares.
- The effects of hunger on the working poor range from lack of stamina and increased illness – which increases missed work time – to feelings of hopelessness and despair.
- Seniors who are hungry experience depression and anxiety. They are also at increased risk for illness, disease, and even premature death.
- Many of these individuals are also mentally, physically, emotionally or socially disabled and face limited employment opportunities, additional barriers, and/or may have difficulty feeding themselves.
Resource: Feeding America