Food for Thought: Food Insecurity in the Land of Waist

As the housing crisis increases the cost of living and in turn the rate of homelessness in Oregon, food insecurity also increases. Food insecurity is a bland euphemism for a critical problem. According to Oregon’s Hunger Task Force, 1 in 4 Oregonians are food insecure, a problem that is especially prevalent among Portland's large homeless community. The Unites States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food required to achieve a healthy life.

Because most homeless individuals lack access to safe food storage, they rely mostly on nonperishable options. Often these items are high in fat, low in fiber, and lack the required daily nutrients. According to the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, the meals received at shelters are not much healthier, as most donations are nonperishable, many homeless are left to struggle with malnutrition. It might seem homeless individuals would be at risk of being underweight, after all, we see stereotypes portrayed in media of severely thin and emaciated individuals. However, because of a limited access to healthy food and an increased reliance on cheap foods; homeless are at a high risk of obesity and related comorbidity. A study conducted by Harvard University found that 57% of chronically homeless adults were malnourished leading to obesity. 

According to the American Medical Association Obesity is associated with an approximately 25% increased risk for mental health disorders. Furthermore, Research conducted by BioMed Central, indicates that individuals experiencing food insecurity are far more likely to suffer from adverse mental health. Food insecure individuals are 257 percent more likely to suffer anxiety, and 253 percent more likely to face depression. Multnomah County's 2019 Point-in-time count of Homelessness study found that 38.5% of people experiencing homelessness are suffering from mental illness, and 37.5% from substance abuse disorders largely due to severe depression. 

According to KGW, Portland's struggle with mental illness among homeless creates concern for rising crime and violence in neighborhoods with the largest prevalence of homeless individuals. These higher levels of crime cause concern among sheltered residents resulting in police sweeps of homeless camps further displacing homeless individuals.

Americans waist $218 billion of perfectly edible food each year, among the most discarded items are dairy and produce. Donating healthy foods to your local food bank may not seem like a big contribution but can have an enormous impact on the mental and physical health of homeless individuals living food insecure. According to Feeding America, the items food banks need the most but receive the least are milk, fresh fruit, fresh or frozen vegetables, and lean meats.


The Oregon food bank has five main locations, click here to find a location near you to donate today.