Date
September 19, 2022
On September 19, 2022, NYHealth hosted a webinar with Rae Gomes, M.F.A., food justice activist and writer, and Jacqueline Bogart, Community Empowerment Coordinator at the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, for a discussion about policy actions that decision makers can take to reduce food insecurity and why such actions must be informed by those directly affected by hunger.
New Yorkers who struggle to feed their families must choose between putting food on the table, paying for prescription medications, and covering the costs of other basics like rent and gas. The tradeoffs that food-insecure New Yorkers make jeopardize their health and take a toll on the health care system. A new NYHealth report, based on a 1,507-person statewide survey, documents these day-to-day struggles and their health harms. Nearly half of individuals who are food insecure rate their health as poor or fair; 69% report having at least one chronic illness; and more than 20% forgo or delay medical care.