You might be surprised if you’ve never checked out the statistics on food insecurity in the U.S.
In 2023, more than 1 in 8 families (around 50 million people) had trouble getting the food they needed.
For about half of these households, at least one person had their regular eating habits affected because they couldn’t afford enough food.
The numbers in your own community might be even higher. But here’s the good news: your church can make a difference and help those in need.
Understanding Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is a growing concern among families, seniors, and others who struggle to gain access to consistent, nutritious meals. It often corresponds with other struggles, like joblessness, poverty, homelessness, and chronic health problems.
Food insecurity isn’t new to the 21st century, and churches have long mobilized their congregations to try to help their hungry neighbors. Jesus connected caring for the “least of these” (including the hungry) to love for him in Matthew 25:31-46.
How Your Church Can Help
1. Host a food pantry.
A food pantry can provide needy families with consistent, reliable access to nutritious food. Choose a dedicated spot in the church to store food for a pantry. Ideally, you’ll want a freezer and/or refrigerator, but you can work up to that. Partner with local food banks and grocery stores (who are often more than willing to give you food nearing their due date) to help you get the food to give away. Schedule a day weekly (or monthly to start) to distribute the food to your hungry neighbors.
2. Partner with local food banks.
Your local food banks can use your church’s help. Building a strong, ongoing partnership with local food banks can help local families in need and give your church a great ministry outlet. Get started by reaching out to your local food bank and finding out how you can help. Then mobilize your congregation to meet those specific needs.
3. Organize community meals.
With a regular community meal, you’ll not only feed hungry people a nutritious meal, but you’ll also build meaningful relationships with your neighbors. These meals are easier to host than you might think—even if you’re doing so on a weekly basis. Organize a team of people who enjoy food preparation. Ask congregants to bring in food. (Consider providing the meat out of the church budget.) Go house to house to invite your neighbors or send out fliers.
You can schedule the meal after (or before) a regularly scheduled worship service to better encourage participants to get involved in your church.
4. Provide weekend/holiday food for low-income students.
Reach out to your local schools for help in identifying students struggling with food insecurity. Make a list of what a child might need to eat over a weekend and/or holiday. Ask congregants to collect those foods. Purchase what you can’t collect. Invite church members to pack the food in bags and distribute it to the local students. Consider putting a note in the bag inviting the children to a children’s ministry activity at your church.
5. Start a community garden.
Many food deserts — places that have limited access to affordable, nutritious food—particularly need fresh vegetables. Dedicate a piece of your church’s property or look for a family/organization in the neighborhood with land to spare. Involve your congregation in planting, maintaining, and harvesting crops. Distribute the fresh produce to needy families throughout the neighborhood.
6. Offer nutrition education classes.
This is a particularly effective idea if your church has access to local dietitians, chefs, or health organizations to lead the classes. If not, you still may be able to partner with others in roles like that. It’s best if you can provide a location for the classes that have an oven and solid food preparation space.
7. Create emergency food kits.
These emergency kits would help people who experience sudden hardships (loss of a job, disaster, etc.). Make a list of items that a family in this situation would need. Focus on non-perishable items. Ask your congregants to bring in items on the list. Then pack the boxes and distribute them to local shelters and schools. Store a few at the church for people who come by asking for help.
8. Partner with local restaurants and stores.
Local restaurants and stores often have extra food that your neighbors need. They just need someone to store and distribute them. Get a few volunteers to coordinate regular pickups and safe distribution to families in need. You’ll likely need a place to store the food and to maintain safe handling practices (particularly for the perishable items).
9. Advocate for food security policies.
Advocacy has the potential to impact the root causes of food insecurity in your community. Spend some time researching food insecurity on the websites of the United States Department of Agriculture and various nonprofits that engage in the issue. Invite local experts, such as directors of food banks and other advocacy groups, to educate the congregation on these causes. Focus your advocacy on specific, local issues where your church can make a meaningful difference.
Your Church Can Do This!
Your church can’t solve the food insecurity problems in your community on your own. But you can do something. As you serve as the hands and feet of Jesus in your neighborhood, you can ensure fewer families go to bed hungry each night.
Get started by trying just one idea above. Consider leveraging MissionInsite to find out more about the specific food insecurity situation in your community. For more about how your church can engage vulnerable communities in your neighborhood, download our free guide, Neighbors in Need: How to Identify and Help the Most Vulnerable.
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