Map the Meal Gap 2024 analyzes food insecurity rates from 2022.
Feeding America released its findings in the most recent Map the Meal Gap study, and results are consistent with what Gleaners is seeing in our service area: food insecurity is on the rise in Indiana.
The report, which looks at data collected in 2022, was released in May. It shows more than 950,000 Hoosiers were food insecure — a significant jump from the 730,000 people in 2021.
Food insecurity rose in Indiana from 2021 to 2022.
At 13.9%, Indiana’s food insecurity rate is outpacing the rest of the country. Indiana’s child food insecurity rate is a staggering 18.2%, while 17.2% of kids living in Gleaners’ service counties face food insecurity.
Indiana’s largest county, Marion County, also has the highest rate of child food insecurity, with 23.9% of children facing food insecurity. Fayette County (22.9%), Scott County (22.1%), Wayne County (21.8%) and Jennings County (19.5%) round out the next highest counties for child food insecurity.
New data from Feeding America gives insight into food insecurity.
Of Indiana’s food insecure population, 65% are above the SNAP threshold. These findings reinforced our understanding that many of our neighbors’ wages are simply not enough to make ends meet and are too high to receive government aid. And the issue is expanding even in the state’s wealthiest counties.
From 2021 to 2022, Hamilton County’s food insecurity rate increased from 6% to 9.2%; in Boone County: 6.7% to 10%; in Hendricks County: 6.4% to 9.7%.
Here at Gleaners, we continue to unleash our superpower of acquiring nutritious food on a massive scale to help fill the gap for our neighbors. to get an understanding of how hunger looks in your community.
Take a look at Feeding America’s interactive map to get an understanding of how hunger looks in your community.