According to recent data released by New Feeding America Map the Meal Gap, food insecurity in Washtenaw County has risen from 12.5% to 14%. This means that 1 in 7 residents does not have reliable access to the nutritious food needed to live a healthy life.
Food Gatherers, a Washtenaw County based food bank and food rescue program, will distribute 10 million pounds of food this fiscal year — which has increased in price due to the demand.
However in March, Food Gatherers was faced with a challenge when a reliable source of USDA food that accounts for 15% of Food Gatherers’ total distribution, or 1.5 million pounds of food, was abruptly cancelled. The organization plans to continue serving the same about of food to Washtenaw County, which includes a network of 140 partner pantries and programs. To make up for this loss, Food Gatherers estimated in a press release that they will need $2.5 million.
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To help Food Gatherers, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners recently passed a resolution to release $500,000 to help Food Gatherers maintain its level of services.
“Hunger is an urgent issue in Washtenaw County,” said Food Gatherers’ President & CEO, Eileen Spring, in a press release. “We are grateful to Washtenaw County for stepping up at this moment. We are hoping that other government entities and private philanthropy follow suit so our neighbors continue to have access to healthy food.”
In its 15th year, Map the Meal Gap continues to provide detailed insights into food insecurity and food costs at the county and congressional district levels across the U.S. Using the USDA’s most recent national and state-level data, the study found that 47 million Americans experienced food insecurity in 2023 — the highest number reported in over ten years.
Additionally, the ALICE Report for Michigan highlights that over 40% of households in Southeastern Michigan are unable to consistently cover essential expenses like food, housing and healthcare. This struggle is driven by low wages, the rising cost of living and longstanding structural barriers that limit access to economic stability.
For more information on the report visit the Map the Meal Gap website. To learn more about Food Gatherers, visit foodgatherers.org.
