Over a Third of Rhode Islanders are Facing Food Insecurity, According to a New Survey

The report also shows that food insecurity in the state is at a five-year high. People of color are among the most affected demographics

“The cost of everything is so high right now, it's all adding up for people: basic necessities, the cost of rent, the cost of utilities, of food in the store, child care,” said Kate MacDonald, a spokesperson for Rhode Island Community Food Bank, the organization which released the data.
“The cost of everything is so high right now, it’s all adding up for people: basic necessities, the cost of rent, the cost of utilities, of food in the store, child care,” said Kate MacDonald, a spokesperson for Rhode Island Community Food Bank, the organization which released the data.
Alex Nunes / The Public’s Radio
Share
“The cost of everything is so high right now, it's all adding up for people: basic necessities, the cost of rent, the cost of utilities, of food in the store, child care,” said Kate MacDonald, a spokesperson for Rhode Island Community Food Bank, the organization which released the data.
“The cost of everything is so high right now, it’s all adding up for people: basic necessities, the cost of rent, the cost of utilities, of food in the store, child care,” said Kate MacDonald, a spokesperson for Rhode Island Community Food Bank, the organization which released the data.
Alex Nunes / The Public’s Radio
Over a Third of Rhode Islanders are Facing Food Insecurity, According to a New Survey
Copy

A report from the Brown University School of Public Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield Rhode Island shows that 38% of Rhode Island households– a five-year high – are experiencing food insecurity. Food insecurity is more prevalent for families of color than white families, with 55% of Rhode Island Latino households and 47% of Black households experiencing food insecurity, compared with 33% of white households, according to the new report.

It’s a 111% increase from the year 2021, when 18% of households in Rhode Island were experiencing food insecurity. The authors of the report consider people to be food insecure if at least some of the time they say they worry about or lack funds to buy food.

This story was reported by The Public’s Radio. You can read the entire story here.

The Trump administration had sought to block children born to undocumented parents from automatically receiving citizenship
With the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, fireworks will soon light up American skies. Do these tiny explosions have an impact on our environment or our health?
Enslaved and free Black men and Indigenous soldiers formed one of the Revolutionary War’s most remarkable fighting forces
Ocean State Media’s statewide listening tour stopped in Bristol, where residents met up over coffee and on a nature walk to talk about the issues shaping their community
As Providence prepares to take control of its school district for the first time since 2019, questions remain about whether local officials are up to the task
Is the General Assembly set to change this election year?