As a freelance writer and survivor of domestic abuse, (not to mention as a single, mixed-race woman), I’ve been poor. Homeless and receiving food stamps poor. I’ve stood on line at food pantries, and I’ve spent years volunteering at a food pantry in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Hunger is a personal issue for me, as it is for many who have been through the proverbial wringer. In 2017 alone, 40 million Americans were food insecure — meaning they lacked the financial resources to access food for their household. More than 12 million of them were children.
Food is essential to life. Food connects us to our families, communities, ancestors, cultures and our Earth. We know healthy food is essential for a healthy life, and that access to adequate food is a basic human right.
Continue reading Next City here, courtesy of Valerie Vande Panne.