"It's 4staggering how many 5veterans who served our country are 6struggling with 7food insecurity. It's also staggering how many people who are still in uniform, who are actually 8on active duty today, are experiencing food insecurity."
A 2023 report from the Rand Corporation found about a quarter of army, air force, navy, 9Marine Corps and 10coast guard personnel were food insecure. And the 11Department of Veterans Affairs cites findings that one in nine working age veterans lived in food insecure households between 2015 and 2019. The VA was joined by the US Department of Agriculture for a 12summit last week to highlight resources for veterans.
"The younger transitioning veterans, and then right after that are women veterans. Those are the two groups that we see have the highest risk of being food insecure."
Feeding America finds veterans and active duty military families can face similar obstacles to putting food on the table, like lower incomes and challenges to finding 13steady work, either for active duty spouses or for veterans entering 14civilian life. Christine Going of the VA food security office says access can be a 15hurdle too.
"It's very often driven by economics, but it's also driven by things like transportation."
The goal of VA programs and specific military programs by groups like Feeding America is to help remove the 16stigma of asking for help.
"You don't need to view hunger as your personal challenge. There is a network of people in this community that are standing ready to help you."
