May is National Older Americans Month – New Feeding America Study Finds That 5.5 Million Older Adults Faced Hunger in 2021

Feeding America® recently released The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2021, a study about seniors facing hunger in the United States. The report sheds light on the extent to which food insecurity – or having limited access to enough food to live a healthy lifestyle – affects individuals aged 60 and older. The report shows that out of 78 million seniors aged 60 or older in the United States, 5.5 million were food insecure in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available. In Michigan, the food insecurity rate for seniors was 11.7 percent, nearly five points higher than the national rate.

“Every day, older adults across our state are forced to make trade-offs, deciding between necessities like food and medications,” said Food Bank Council of Michigan executive director Dr. Phil Knight.  “I am becoming increasingly concerned about older adult food insecurity. Feeding America’s most recent State of Senior Hunger Study projects that by the year 2050, more than seven million older adults may be food insecure.  Food insecurity impacts a variety of factors such as health and nutrition, and as the older adult population continues to grow, food insecurity is likely to remain a public health challenge for many years to come.”

Food insecurity among seniors did not change significantly between 2020 and 2021, going from 6.8% to 7.1%. However, consistent with the overall population, older adults of color experience food insecurity at disproportionately higher rates compared to their white counterparts as well as the overall food insecure population. In 2021, Black older Americans were 3.8 times as likely and Latinos were three times as likely to experience food insecurity compared to white older adults, compared to 2.9 times and 2.5 times respectively for the overall food insecure population. While the study does not include separate food insecurity estimates for other racial and ethnic groups, it has been shown through other analyses that individuals who identify as Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian subgroups also have disproportionately high rates of food insecurity.

“If we as a country decide once and for all to end food insecurity in this country, think of what that would mean for our senior neighbors facing hunger,” said Tom Summerfelt, Chief Research Officer at Feeding America. “Food insecurity is so closely tied to health, which becomes especially critical as we age. Also, medical expenses are a key driver of food insecurity, particularly in our elders. Food can work as medicine. Addressing food insecurity among seniors would help reduce chronic health conditions and could result in healthier communities overall.”

The Food Bank Council of Michigan is a member of the Feeding America network of food banks. The Council currently receives a general fund grant from the State of Michigan annually for the Michigan Agricultural Surplus System (MASS) program and is urging lawmakers to increase those funds annually.  An increase in MASS would allow the Council to dedicate a portion of program funding specifically to feed Michigan’s older adults, supporting innovation to serve homebound individuals. MASS plays a critical role in providing the Council access to the fresh food needed to ensure Michigan’s most under-resourced residents could get fresh, healthy food.

MASS allows the Council to purchase produce that doesn’t meet retailer standards directly from Michigan farmers. MASS creates secondary markets for our farmers and if there is surplus – additional markets for MI farmers are created with the Council’s national partner, Feeding America.  These secondary markets mean that healthy produce can be distributed to Michigan families instead of going to waste. MASS rescued 42 million pounds of produce over the last five years.

“We are urging Michigan lawmakers to support an increase in MASS funding to the Food Bank Council of Michigan,” said Food Bank Council of Michigan executive director Dr. Phil Knight.  “It’s good for our food insecure residents; it’s good for our farmers; and it’s good for the economy.  It’s a win-win-win for everyone!”

Additionally, the Council operates and Food and Other Resources Helpline that offers assistance in over 240 languages to Michigan residents, many of which are older adults, in all 83 counties that may need help with applying for SNAP benefits, accessing local food programs, or referrals to other resources.

For the seventh consecutive year, The State of Senior Hunger in America was produced by Feeding America. The study was conducted by researchers Dr. James P. Ziliak and Dr. Craig Gundersen. The full reports can be found here.

The study was funded by the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation through its Fill Your Tank program, a multi-year initiative launched in 2016 to address food insecurity in communities around the world. Enterprise’s commitment to Feeding America supports senior hunger and child hunger initiatives in communities across the United States.

Learn more about senior hunger at the Food Bank Council of Michigan website and join the conversation about The State of Senior Hunger using #SolveSeniorHunger.

###

About The Food Bank Council of Michigan
Founded in 1984, the Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM) was created to implement a unified strategy to address and alleviate hunger statewide.  FBCM works with its regional food banks and over 2,800 hunger relief agencies, private companies, farmers, state and federal officials, and other allies to make sure no Michigander goes without food. For more information about the Food Bank Council of Michigan, visit www.fbcmich.org or call 517-485-1202.

About Feeding America

Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. As a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 agency partners, including food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.2 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.  Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.