The US Census Bureau created its weekly Household Pulse Survey to track the effects of COVID-19, including whether people have enough to eat. During the first eight weeks of the survey, an average of 24.9 million adults were unsure at some point in the week about where their next meal would come from.
Coupled with data on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the new survey provides an up-to-date picture of who doesn’t have access to food in the United States.
Both data sources lead to similar findings: in times of higher unemployment and a weak economy, food insecurity increases. The data also shows that Black and Hispanic Americans make up a disproportionate number of households both with respect to food insecurity during the pandemic and SNAP usage.
