We celebrate food a lot in February. National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, National Tater Tots Day, National Carrot Day, National Homemade Soup Day, National Bagel Day, National Nutella Day. There’s a different celebration for our favorite foods each day of the month, so The Salvation Army of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi (ALM Division) has decided to celebrate food as well by highlighting the fantastic feeding programs offered throughout our division. Throughout February, we will share stories from Salvation Army locations throughout our division to share how they are doing the most good when it comes to feeding and supporting their communities.

As defined in the 2017 USDA study, “food insecurity” is “a disruption to food intake or eating patterns due to lack of money or other resources.” Through food pantries, community gardens, and feeding programs, The Salvation Army addresses the national food insecurity crisis by providing 56 million nutritious meals annually to anyone in need. Over 1 million of those meals are provided annually by The Salvation Army right here in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Shelters throughout The Salvation Army ALM Division do their part by offering nutritious meals every day, 365 days a year, to anyone in need. Food gardens, food pantries, holiday dinners, and emergency food services are all offered throughout the division as well. Stay with us over the next few weeks as we highlight some of our busiest locations who are keeping their communities full.

Facts About Hunger

• 99% reported having worried that their food would run out before they got money to buy more.
• 97% reported that the food they bought just did not last, and they did not have money to get more.
• 95% reported that they could not afford to eat balanced meals.
• 96% reported that an adult had cut the size of meals or skipped meals because there was not enough money for food, and 88% reported that this had occurred in three or more months.
• 93% of respondents reported that they had eaten less than they felt they should because there was not enough money for food.
• 68% of respondents reported that they had been hungry but did not eat because they could not afford enough food.
• 48% of respondents reported having lost weight because they did not have enough money for food.
• 30% reported that an adult did not eat for an entire day because there was not enough money for food, and 24% reported that this had occurred in three or more months.

Families Face the Greatest Threat

• 19% of all American households with children are food insecure.
• 35% of households headed by single women are food insecure.
• 26% of black non-Hispanic households are food insecure.
• 22% of Hispanic households are food insecure.

Hunger Is Curable

The Salvation Army is dedicated to eliminating food insecurity. We work to cure hunger by providing nutritious meals to anyone in need via food pantries and meal assistance. This includes help for homeless people of all ages as well as individuals and families in need of extra assistance. In addition to addressing the immediate symptoms of food insecurity, our programs are designed to help identify and treat its root cause. Over time, this holistic approach to the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of each person helps move many from “hungry” to “fully healed.”