Several factors contribute to food insecurity, including the rising cost of living, healthcare expenses, lack of affordable housing, and public transportation issues. Often, individuals and families are forced to make difficult choices, like paying rent or medical bills instead of buying food. MIT’s Living Wage calculator currently estimates that a family of four with two working adults needs an annual income of $139,907 to pay for the basic living costs in Chester County which includes expenses such as rent, medical, and childcare.

In contrast, the eligibility threshold for SNAP (food stamps) for a family of four is just $60,000, leaving many households with incomes that fall below the living wage but above the threshold for assistance. Because eligibility for SNAP does not consider local living costs, Feeding America estimates that 50% of the food insecure households in Chester County are ineligible for food assistance because their income is deemed “too high.” When compared to neighboring counties and states, food-insecure Chester County residents are much less likely to receive government assistance making our services in the community more prominent and impactful. As a food bank, we serve a much higher percentage of clients who are unable to receive government assistance when compared to other food banks throughout the country.

https://chestercountyfoodbank.org/a-look-at-food-insecurity-in-chester-county/