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September is Hunger Action Month

September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign to raise awareness and fight food insecurity. September 29 is Hunger Action Day. The work to abate hunger has become more critical in the last year as food insecurity is rapidly rising. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is one of many organizations trying to fill the gap in hunger data tracking hunger in the US after the Department of Agriculture (USDA) stopped collecting it in September of 2025. The New York Federal Reserve’s research shows that US food insecurity has risen sharply, with an estimated 47.9 million Americans now living in food-insecure households. This is even higher than 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak. Specifically, 10% of households surveyed reported they did not have enough food or that their children missed meals compared to 4% of respondents in 2020. Almost 18% of families who responded rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits versus 10.6% in 2020. Families are depleting their savings to purchase food and 16% of families participating in the study rely on food donations. Low-income families are suffering the most, with families who earn under $50,000 a year showing hunger rates near 20%. The data also shows nonwhite households are significantly more vulnerable, as well as people with lower education levels and families with young children. This current hunger crisis has several causes. Spikes in the cost of living triggered by inflation during the COVID-19 pandemic never returned to pre-pandemic levels. Now, the rate of inflation is rising again after it gradually declined from 2022 to 2025. As of July 2026, inflation is 3.04% in comparison to 2.68% in 2025 and 2.89% in 2024. Additionally, enhanced pandemic-era federal relief and expanded social benefits decreased between 2021 and 2023, including unemployment, Medicaid, the child tax credit expansion, and the student loan payment pause. These multiple pressures created what economists call a “K-shaped economy,” where the extremely wealthy are profiting, but the other income groups are struggling. On top of this, federal legislation cut SNAP benefits in July 2025 and changed program rules making many recipients ineligible, including families with children older than 14, veterans, unhoused people, and immigrants (including refugees and asylum applicants), while mandating that adults up to age 64 (previously 54) must now work or participate in training programs for 80 hours a month. Beyond Hunger has a full slate of educational and fundraising activities in September that are designed to respond to th e crisis in our area. They are LemonAid, a benefit, Children’s Storytime at Dandelion Bookstore, and a Mandela-making workshop, also a fundraiser. See our events section for the details.