Fitzgerald, Katie. “President of Feeding America Talks Inflation’s Impact on Food Insecurity.” YouTube, 22 Dec. 2022, https://youtu.be/N7rBi2hWA1I?si=LKQa7l1mzgQ_ekSG. Accessed 31 Oct. 2023. 

Summary:

Inflation historically has troubled the U.S. but in recent years it has rose dramatically, prices of goods have increased about 12%. According to Katie Fitzgerald, the president of feeding America, “56% of household with children suffer from food insecurity.” People to this day are working and still getting access to the food bank. This goes to show that even though you’re working it is still not enough to cover the expenses of food. There was an increase of the amount of people who are seeking access to the charitable food system. The lines for the the food bank demonstrated how desperate people are to get food. They see some of the same groups of people just so many more of them. Katie also mentioned a bill that might be passed called the 2023 spending bill. This bill will make a transformative difference in the lives of American children. All in all, 80% of children who qualify for free and reduced lunches do not receive any form of nutrition assistance during the summer months. In 2021, 53 million people made use of Feeding America and other charitable food assistance programs. Following the distribution of 5.2 billion meals in the previous year, the volume of requests has steadily climbed. The more prices go up due to inflation the more people will need food as it is less accessible. Poverty stricken communities all the way to middle class communities are feeling the burden of inflation. Basic human needs are not being met. There’s endless data to support that children and families are struggling. Money and food go hand and hand with each other. We look for this situation globally to eventually calm down but for years it has only gotten worse. Seeing as this problem has continuously risen, it makes us think of if there will be a clear solution and a clear relationship as to why inflation exasperates malnutrition. 

Reflection:

In this video, they spoke about how inflation hit a lot harder the previous year than any other year. It was effected nationwide. The amount of people seeking for help through the food banks makes it very difficult for them to keep up due to such high demands. This issue has been with us even before any holidays and it continues to be a problem as we proceed to enter the winter months. One question I have is how will Congress passing the 2023 spending bill help with hunger here in America? The answer to this is if the bill is passed then the bill will make sure that the families of American children and children who attend school could get nutritious foods at the grocery store through an electronic benefit program. Another question I have is what groups are mostly at risk of food insecurity? The answer to this is seniors who are living on a fixed income. A third of an incomes budget is spent on food, which is absurd. Inflation is out of control and from here on out it’s going to be a bigger problem. Even retired individuals are struggling to keep up with the prices of things. It’s only beneficial if we try to help those people who have to go through these times. It is important that we come together for change and solve what is a solvable problem in this country. It is recommended that we donate to these charitable events or even volunteer to help those in need. Taking action on social media is also another way to help solve this issue. Not only does it grab other people’s attention, but it genuinely shows that you care and want things to change for future generations. To sum it up, we can limit food insecurity and hunger, but it takes every one of us doing our part.  

I think that Katie gave a very informative message and being able to listen to the video I’ve and over again allowed me to gain some knowledge on what was meant. She was very transparent about what’s going on in the world and things we can do to help solve it. This genre was the most effective just because I was able to listen and fully grasp what she was saying. 

Quote:

“People are really desperate to get food from banks, it really exposed the level of need.”