Hunger Close to Home

As a Massachusetts residents I'm very concerned about the people living in poverty in my state. For most Massachusetts residents struggling with hunger they have a job and make enough money to pay for things like rents or electricity, but struggle to provide food for themselves or their family. This is in large part due to the recession in 2008. One statistic that I find makes this concept easier to understand is from a quote posted by Project Bread on their website. "In 2003, almost everybody who was working forty hours a week in Massachusetts could expect to earn enough to cover the basics: food on the table and a roof overhead. Only those who were not working, the elderly, and those with chronic disabilities were the faces of hunger in our state. But the Great Recession–and the attendant increase in income inequality–changed that. By 2014, a second and distinct population–low-wage workers–significantly added to the ranks of households that struggle to put food on the table. Today, the rate of household food insecurity is 71% higher than it was a decade ago, with no sign of improvement."

Someone who works full time shouldn't be struggling to put food on the table for their family, and Project Bread has come up with ways to help stop this. First we need to realize that the people who need help should be treated with respect, not pity. We need to tech families to cook meals that are healthy and affordable. Low-cost breakfast and lunch served to children at school would also be a big help to many families. Food pantries should be set up across the state in case of an emergency where a family can no longer afford food. Lastly, we need to stand up for low-wage workers and their right to be able to afford food.