Many people are living one emergency away from hunger in our community. Today, that emergency is inflation. A lost job, a medical emergency, a changing family dynamic can all throw an individual or family living from paycheck to paycheck into a food crisis. Add today’s crippling inflation and the crisis worsens. Inflation raises prices and lowers purchasing power. Nationwide, grocery prices have seen the largest increase since 1979, leaving food banks struggling to meet the needs of increased demand from the food insecure in our communities. Lower income households are harmed the most. This includes adults, children, and the elderly.
Every community in the country is home to families who face hunger on a daily basis. Locally, in the Westerville community:
There are 134,000 in WARM’s service area
28,000 (1 in 5 or 21%) are living below the 200% Federal Poverty Level
12,000 children
13,000 adults (ages 18-64)
3,000 seniors (ages 65+)