COLORADO SPRINGS — Tens of thousands of people in our area face food shortages and during COVID-19, that need has grown.
According to Feeding America, in 2019 food insecurity was at its lowest point in more than 20 years.
An encouraging sign that more Americans were gaining consistent access to food, but then the pandemic hit creating an economic recession that ended years of declining rates of food insecurity.
Feeding America projects in 2021:
- El Paso County: 1 in 8 adults, 1 in 6 kids will go hungry
- Pueblo County: 1 in 6 adults, 1 in 4 kids will go hungry
RESULTS:
77% No
23% Yes
In 2019, 1 in 6 kids was food insecure, but now, 1 in 4 children don’t get a meal every single day. During the pandemic, many families talked about having to go to a food drive for the first time, and many struggled to ask for help.
Food insecurity also doesn't just affect families. It is estimated that 50 percent of community college students and 33 percent of students who go to a four-year institution are struggling with food insecurity in America.
Food insecurity, for college students or any American, is defined as being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
We're following this survey throughout the day and into tomorrow. Tune in to News5 at 4 p.m. as we review the results!
Editor's note: This survey is not based on scientific, representative samples and is solely for KOAA purposes.
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