Food insecurity in the news

From local news to global conversations and groundbreaking research, health care is constantly evolving and highly covered in the media. Here, we share the latest news and trends – and how they drive our work to best serve our communities and members.

Recently, the Biden-Harris Administration announced 141 new commitments from stakeholders across the nation, including Point32Health, who have stepped up as part of the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities. The nationwide initiative aims to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases by 2030—all while reducing health disparities.

To advance these goals, the challenge focuses on five pillars including improving food access, integrating nutrition and health, empowering all consumers to have access to healthy choices, supporting physical health for all and enhancing nutrition and food security research. Point32Health has committed to providing more than $1.5 million in grants to nonprofit organizations supporting food security, and projects an additional $200,000 through new employee matching gifts programs plus $25,000 of volunteer service time by employees.

These commitments come at a time when it is estimated more than 44 million people in the U.S. face hunger, including one in five children. While the food insecurity crisis is widespread, Black communities are disproportionately affected with 23 percent of Black people experiencing food insecurity.

With a mission of advancing health equity for all, Point32Health regularly works to combat food insecurity through its collaborations including Spread the Health. In this initiative with the Boston Celtics, Point32Health supports community organizations to fight food insecurity, as well as other health disparities, on a local level. Through the Point32Health Foundation, our heritage organizations, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan, have invested more than $200 million to support community organizations with a priority placed on nonprofit groups that support healthy aging, behavioral health and access to healthy food for all.

Learn more about the local organizations we collaborate with to fight food insecurity here.