Fighting Food Insecurity
According to the Food Research & Action Center, 15.4% of rural households in America experienced food insecurity in 2023. As inflation continues to plague Indiana households, that number is expected to be even higher for 2024.
Salvation Army volunteers, like Diana in Fountain County, have seen this firsthand. Diana has been volunteering with The Salvation Army for 15 years, and food is the primary need she sees in her community. The rising cost of living has brought more people to The Salvation Army in search of funds to purchase food after paying high utility bills and working to stay in their homes.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture found that between 2019 and 2023 food prices rose faster than every other major category and that the lowest income households were spending a third of their income on just food.
To counteract this, Diana helped to set up a partnership with grocery stores in Attica and Covington, the two largest communities in Fountain County. Diana is able to write Salvation Army checks directly to a local grocery store, something many other organizations are unable to do. Store employees know that Salvation Army checks are designated for specific types of purchases, ensuring that this money goes to help fight food insecurity.
“With the rising grocery prices, we just get more and more calls,” Diana shared, a sentiment echoed across the entire state.
Prices for necessities are up, resulting in a greater need for financial assistance, but Red Kettle donations, which make up most of the funds collected by The Salvation Army each year, are down. Donations that come in after the holidays are more important than ever as The Salvation Army works to prevent men, women, and children from going hungry or becoming homeless due to the rising cost of living. With your help, we can continue fighting food insecurity in 2025 and meet the needs of every community, no matter what.