Food Insecurity In Santa Cruz County

Food insecurity occurs when a household lacks reliable access to sufficient nutritious food to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. Food insecurity encompasses a range of challenges, from missed meals, running out of groceries and not having money to purchase more food, to the anxiety that is experienced when access to food is uncertain. Experiences of food insecurity may be temporary or chronic. A large body of research documents that food insecurity, in its many forms, is associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes for both children and adults, including asthma, depression, diabetes, hypertension, and behavioral issues