A recent poll commissioned by No Kid Hungry New York has revealed that more than 70% of adults found it harder to afford groceries over the past year, with two in five adults experiencing food insecurity symptoms. Public school families have been hit the hardest, with over a quarter of parents concerned about having enough food and two in five forced to choose between food and other necessities.
The poll also shows that even middle-income New Yorkers are struggling with food insecurity, with one-third of households earning between $50,000 and $100,000 annually experiencing such symptoms. Furthermore, 59% of adults and two-thirds of parents have faced stress, anxiety, or depression due to difficulties in affording food for their families, with people of color being more affected than white New Yorkers.
Rachel Sabella, the director of No Kid Hungry New York, expressed concern over the increasing number of people struggling with food insecurity and the impact on their mental health. She highlighted the alarming pressure on parents, with 40% forced to make impossible decisions between food and other essentials.
As food insecurity worsens, 93% of New Yorkers are urging bipartisan collaboration to end childhood hunger, which respondents believe should be a top priority for legislators. Contrary to calls for cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by House Republicans, 88% of New Yorkers want SNAP benefits to increase to keep up with inflation.
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