Combating hunger in Arizona requires effort from all of us
More than 1 million residents have inadequate access to food
Posted
Bobby Ghisolfo
Submitted photo/Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest
Many families experiencing food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition assistance, leaving a gap between traditional assistance programs and the economic reality families are facing.”
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OPINION — More than 1 million Arizonans currently face inadequate access to food. In some communities, about 1 in 4 residents experience food insecurity.
These aren’t simply statistics. They are our neighbors, our children’s classmates, older adults living on fixed incomes and working families doing everything they can to keep up with the rising cost of everyday life.
September is Hunger Action Month, but for too many Arizona families, hunger isn’t something that can be confined to a single month. At Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, we see the reality behind these numbers every day.
Requests for food assistance through our programs have increased roughly 15%. Last year alone, Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest distributed nearly 10,000 boxes of food, helping more than 2,000 families. And the need continues to grow.
Changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, are adding another layer of uncertainty for families already struggling to make ends meet. Eligibility and program changes have affected access to nutrition assistance across Arizona, including for children and some immigrant and refugee populations.
The impact on children deserves particular attention.
Nearly 290,000 Arizona children are estimated to experience food insecurity. Research has consistently shown that inadequate access to nutritious food can affect children’s physical health and development. Hunger can influence how children learn, grow and thrive — and the consequences can extend well beyond an empty stomach.
School breakfast and lunch programs provide an important source of nutrition for many children during the academic year, but they cannot address the problem alone. Many families experiencing food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition assistance, leaving a gap between traditional assistance programs and the economic reality families are facing.
That is where community matters.
Our Family Resource Centers provide food assistance, but the work doesn’t stop with a box of groceries. Families can also access services designed to help them move toward greater stability, including GED classes, parenting education, early childhood education, assistance navigating available benefits and connections to other community resources.
The goal isn’t simply to address today’s immediate need. It’s to help families build a stronger tomorrow.
But nonprofit organizations cannot — and should not — do this work alone.
Addressing hunger requires partnership across Arizona. Government agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, philanthropic partners, faith communities and individual Arizonans all have a role to play. Each brings different resources and strengths, and our communities are strongest when we work together rather than expecting any one sector to solve the problem.
There are practical ways each of us can help.
Volunteer at a local food pantry. Organize a food drive through your workplace or congregation. Support organizations addressing hunger and family stability. Advocate for solutions that help families become more self-sufficient. And perhaps most importantly, recognize that the person seeking help today could easily be a neighbor, colleague or family member tomorrow.
Hunger Action Month reminds us that food insecurity is a significant challenge. It also should remind us of something I’ve seen throughout my career in human services: Communities are capable of extraordinary things when people decide to work together.
Every food box packed, every volunteer hour given, every partnership created and every family connected to resources moves us forward.
Arizona’s hunger problem is bigger than any one organization.
Meeting it will take all of us
Bobby Ghisolfo is president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, a Phoenix-based nonprofit founded in 1970 to provide community support, crisis stabilization and social services across Arizona. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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