Statement From Fred Wasiak, President & CEO of the Food Bank of South Jersey, on USDA’s Household Food Security in the United States (2023)

Yesterday’s release of the USDA’s Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 report once again highlights the unacceptable reality of food insecurity in our nation. Too many households don’t have access to enough healthy food to thrive.

The current report states that 18 million households in the U.S. were food insecure in 2023, which is up from 17 million in 2022. This increase aligns to what we see every day in South Jersey: through our network of more than 300 community partners, we are providing essential food items to more than 170,000 people a month.

In a country with an abundance of resources, having more than 47 million of our neighbors facing food insecurity cannot be acceptable. And 13 million food-insecure children should make everyone want to take action.

Changing hunger will not be easy. But we will make additional strides with continued support from our leaders, ongoing dedication from our corporate allies, and innovative action from all of us. Together, we can put an end to this daily challenge.