Feeding Southwest Virginia shared the results of their food insecurity study Wednesday.
Their study showed all localities in Southwest Virginia saw an increase overall in the food insecurity rate. They said children and seniors are the ones most impacted by food insecurity.
Pamela Irvine, President and CEO of Feeding Southwest Virginia
“A lot of our seniors only get $2 to $400 a month. If they don’t have good retirement programs, and they’ve worked all their life, but they come to a point where they’re older and then groceries go up with other costs, then seniors are immediately forced to make difficult decisions: food or medicine,” said Pamela Irvine, president and CEO of Feeding Southwest Virginia.
Officials said they use data to determine which county has the highest food insecurity rate and that’s where they direct most of their resources.