what is brazosport cares’ mythbusters series?
September is Hunger Action Month, a time to inspire people to take action in the fight against hunger in our community. This month, Brazosport Cares is excited to present our Mythbusters Series, where we'll take an in-depth look at hunger in Brazoria County.
The Mythbusters Series aims to debunk common myths about hunger and the families that visit our pantry every week and to provide education about the changing face of hunger in our community.
Follow along with us here on our website and on social media each week as we debunk a new myth and give you an in-depth look at hunger in Brazoria County! You might just be surprised to learn what's true and NOT true about families facing hunger.
myth: there is not a hunger crisis in brazoria county.
FACT: Over 48,000 neighbors in Brazoria County are food insecure. 17,530 of those neighbors are children.
This means that families throughout our county lack consistent access to enough food to sustain healthy lives. An increasing cost of living, low wages, medical expenses, and unexpected financial impacts are just some of the underlying issues leaving our neighbors unable to stretch their dollars to afford basic necessities. Some families may have dinner on the table one night, and go to bed hungry the next.
Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study found that only 40% of food-insecure families meet the income requirements to qualify for SNAP benefits. This means that 60% of families facing hunger do NOT receive federal nutrition assistance, and must seek help elsewhere, at places like Brazosport Cares.
These families reported a total annual shortfall of $32,782,000 to purchase just enough food to meet their nutritional needs.
To help us close the meal gap, and ensure no one faces the day hungry, you can start a food drive, volunteer at Brazosport Cares, or use your voice to be an advocate for families facing hunger. We can do more together than we can alone.
To learn more about Mapping the Meal Gap, visit Feeding America’s website.
Myth: most people facing hunger are homeless or unemployed
FACT: 32% OF WORKING FAMILIES IN BRAZORIA COUNTY DO NOT MAKE ENOUGH MONEY EACH MONTH TO AFFORD BASIC NECESSITIES.
The majority of families that Brazosport Cares serves have at least one person working. Even with a job and a place to call home, many people struggle to make ends meet due to the rising cost of housing, food, and other necessities.
Each year, United Way releases the ALICE study. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. This study examines the financial struggle of working families that live above the federal poverty level, work full-time, and still don’t make enough money each month to stay afloat. These families often do not qualify for federal assistance, and feel significant impacts from things like unplanned disasters, unexpected medical expenses, and other unexpected expenses. To learn more about ALICE in Texas, visit https://unitedforalicetx.org.
MYTH: Hunger is most frequently found in large cities, like Houston.
FACT: rural areas are disproportionately affected by food insecurity.
Rural counties make up 62% of all counties in the United States but represent 87% of counties with food insecurity rates in the top 10% of the nation. Although Brazoria County as a whole is classified as urban, much of Southern Brazoria County is considered rural, and many of the smaller communities that make up the southern reaches of our county are considered food deserts.
A food desert is an area with low income, and low access to healthy, affordable food. Low access means at least 33% of the population is more than 10 miles from a grocery store in rural areas, or more than 1 mile from a grocery store in urban areas. According to the USDA, between 15-45% of families in the geographic area we serve live in food deserts.
Many families residing in rural areas also experience lower wages, higher costs for healthy, high-quality food, and higher rates of poverty, as well as a lack of access to nutrition assistance. These families face many challenges that make it much more difficult to lead a healthy life.
Brazosport Cares helps close the meal gap for many rural families through our Free Farmer’s Markets serving communities West of the Brazos, and soon we’ll be able to serve even more families with the opening of our new pantry, The Bulldog Marketplace, in Sweeny.
To learn more about hunger in Texas, visit https://www.feedingtexas.org/learn/hunger-in-texas/
