Widespread Decline in Household Income During COVID-19 Pandemic Contributes to Food Insufficiency Among Families

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research reports that in mid-May 2020, almost 21 million people were unemployed. At 51.4 percent, women make up majority of those out of work or seeking employment—a historic first for the nation. In addition to finding and sustaining employment, many families are struggling with food insufficiency, a direct consequence of lost earnings. Nationally, more than 37 million Americans, including more than 11 million children are food insecure. In households headed by single women with children, food insufficiency is three times higher than those headed by married couples — 27.8 and 8.3 percent respectively (Coleman-Jensen et al. 2019). Food insufficiency rates are highest among Black and Latino single-mother headed households compared to white single-mother households. #covid-19 #foodecurity #racialequity