Food insecurity occurs when a person or family can’t secure adequate food or balanced nutrition. Anyone who experiences a lack of food on a regular basis can be considered food insecure. This might mean missing a meal a day, a parent who goes without food to leave enough for their kids, or simply someone who doesn’t have access to the right food for a balanced diet.
Food insecurity can be experienced throughout various segments of society. The elderly, the sick and disabled, shut-ins, the unemployed, single-parent families, widows, and the working poor can all be susceptible, including in America. Anyone facing a financial crisis can enter a temporary period of food insecurity. Even if they manage to get enough food to fill hungry stomachs, the food might not have the nutrients needed to keep them healthy.
Operation Blessing provides relief that meets hungry people at their point of need. In the United States, we work with corporate partners to gather large food donations and move it into the hands of hungry Americans. We warehouse, oversee, and deliver the food to various food pantries and churches around the country. They then hand it out to people in need through food distributions, and in some cases, personal delivery.
Internationally, we utilize different types of outreaches. These include food distributions, agricultural projects, nutrition programs, and microenterprise opportunities—all of which can help ensure that people stay well fed. You can see some of the individual faces behind these extensive efforts through the articles on our site. Many of these feature the personal side of hunger relief.
American Food Insecurity
Help for the Elderly
Elderly individuals on a fixed income are at great risk for becoming food insecure. Not only is money an issue, but accessing stores can also be problematic due to limited mobility, health issues, or lack of transportation. Times of bad weather and pandemic can make these problems even worse.
A Widow Caring for Her Disabled Son
Betty was a widowed mother caring for her adult son. Her son lost his leg in a motorcycle accident and also suffered from mental disabilities. When she suffered multiple strokes, she had to leave her grocery store job. She was then left caring for herself and her son on $900 a month. This income didn’t cover all her expenses. But she received help to make her more food secure through a ministry called Bread of Life in Indiana, an Operation Blessing food distribution partner. The food supplies eased the burden she was carrying.
Homebound in North Carolina
Jeri found herself trapped in her home due to the coronavirus. As an elderly woman in North Carolina, she was at high risk for COVID. In addition, she served as the caregiver for her husband, who is also an at-risk senior citizen. Because of this, an Operation Blessing partner brought her groceries when she couldn’t leave her home. This ensured that she and her husband were not short of essential food items.
Partner with Operation Blessing in the Fight Against Hunger
So many people, in the US and internationally, suffer from food insecurity issues, poverty, and crisis. Every day Operation Blessing reaches out to those who are hungry and hurting. Whether through a monthly partnership, a special gift, or by supporting a designated program, you can get involved with this worldwide movement to bless the poor.
Single Mothers Facing Food Insecurity
Raising children as a single mother poses many challenges. Doing it without adequate income can be overwhelming. Raising children with more expenses than income can make putting food on the table very difficult. No parent should have to choose between groceries or utilities, but this happens to many single mothers.
Operation Blessing partners have made it possible for single mothers to get adequate food to feed their families. Here are some mothers who have been blessed by your generosity.
A Young Single Mother in Georgia Receives Food Help
Read about Danielle, a young single mother in Georgia unable to work due to the coronavirus. Suffering from pre-existing medical conditions, she could not safely go to her job. Because of this, Danielle couldn’t afford to pay her bills and feed her children at the same time. Operation Blessing, through a distribution partner in Georgia, provided her with groceries to feed her family, which freed up finances for her to pay her bills and cover other expenses.
A single mother in North Carolina gets the groceries she needs to feed her children.
Allison is a single mother in North Carolina. She’s caring for her child with autism, and she lives on a fixed income. Unfortunately, she can’t cover all her expenses on that income. Through an Operation Blessing distribution partner, Allison received the food help she needed to have enough money left over to pay essential bills.
International Food Insecurity
The challenges of a single mom facing financial shortages are not just an issue in the United States. It’s a problem in developing countries throughout Asia, Latin America, and Africa as well. Just like in the U.S., single mothers in developing nations face the struggles of supporting children on a limited income. They might have employment, but they can’t make enough to cover all the expenses that come with raising kids. Additionally, devastating outside threats like COVID-19, natural disaster, and political instability can make matters even worse for single parents.
A Mother in Costa Rica
Jendry is a single mother in Costa Rica and no stranger to financial challenges. She had a job as a caretaker for senior citizens, but she lost this job due to the pandemic. Jendry made every effort to help herself and her child. She tried starting a business to sell baked goods but found that distributing her goods brought greater risk of COVID-19. Despite her determination to provide for her son, her income fell short.
As so many single moms experience, Jendry can’t earn enough money to guarantee adequate food and nutrition for her child. This is where your generosity made all the difference. Friends like you helped provide the food and supplies that Jendry so desperately needs.
Helping A Single Mother Rationing Food For Her Children To Survive
Maria Telma, a young mother from Honduras, understands food insecurity all too well. Following the onset of the pandemic, Maria’s life and livelihood were disrupted. Accordingly, her ability to afford food was also threatened. As a single mother and sole provider for her daughter in Honduras, Maria depended on her employment as a cleaning lady to provide food. When that business dried up, she found herself unable to regularly provide food for her child. What followed next was heartbreaking.
Maria found herself forced to ration food. The rationing was the only way they could survive. Then your generosity helped provide essential food so that she and her daughter could have regular meals.
