Got Solutions

 

Food waste:

 

It is a quite well-known fact that U.S. wastes about 40% of the food it produces, and the majority of wastes is not caused by quality issues. As a result, one of the most direct solutions to food insecurity is utilizing existing resources instead expending them carelessly. With a combination of governmental and individual efforts, zero unnecessary waste does seem probable. The federal government can create policies and impose taxes on big producers for food waste, while more private companies(*1) can join in to collect second-harvest food and resell them at affordable prices. Statistics show that only 1% of the food waste America produces is recollected and reused. There is a potential for that number to be 100%.

 

Distribution of resources:

 

It might also be important to distribute resources more carefully. A study(*2) shows that with food support, food-insecure children should have average health; however, most food-insecure children’s health is still below average. In the survey conducted for this project, subjects expected many people who are food-insecure to not be participants of food assistance programs. When examined together, these two facts imply that many food-insecure individuals might not be receiving the help they desperately need. However, in reality, the participation rate in food assistance programs (25%) are almost double the food insecurity rate (12.7%), which means that either that extra 12.3% people will immediately become food-insecure once they are without support, or that many individuals with help might not need it as much as the ones without it.

 

The reality is most likely a combination of both. One of the interview participants mentioned that “it can be very easy to get caught up in a cycle of dependence”(*3), indicating that people might see support as a long-term solution instead of as its original purpose of a short-term relief. The author also personally knows individuals who are by no means food-insecure, but “shop” constantly at local food pantries because it is convenient and cheap. To solve the problem, better regulations should be applied to ensure the eligibility of the participants, and education programs can be implemented to help people regain independence after food assistance is no longer necessary. Both can lead to a better distribution of aid to those who need it the most.

 

Education:

 

As mentioned above, education programs will probably alleviate the hunger in America. More information should be provided on how to avoid falling into financial situations, how to lessen the impact if one does, and how to get out of them. Additionally, since the main challenge is more finding affording healthy food instead of finding enough food, nutrition lessons might be quite beneficial too.

 

Public Awareness:

 

Similar to any other issues, raising public awareness always have a strong impact. Food insecurity, though a serious problem in America, does not receive the attention it deserves, especially from the more wealthy communities. Hunger is thought to be a problem “elsewhere”. What people don’t realize is that even developed countries like U.S. have their share of issues. Concepts like the Hunger Action Month of September and the SNAP Challenge bring food-insecurity into the spotlight. Furthermore, they humanize victims of this social issue and increase empathy, making more people willing to contribute. $1 of donation is small, but if everyone in America donates $1, we will have more than $300 million.