One Health

Food insecurity is an official term used by the US Department of Agriculture to refer to situations where people do not have access to sufficient food and/or they do not know where their next meal is coming from. Food insecurity can stem from financial insecurity, but it can also be caused by issues of accessibility. Are there quality grocery stores in your neighborhood? Can they be accessed through reliable public transportation?

Food insecurity is a public health crisis as it significantly impacts people's physical and mental health, their ability to focus at school and work, and their overall well-being.

Facts about food insecurity in the United States:

• 47 million people, including 14 million children, experience it annually
• Poor nutrition leads to 600,000 deaths annually as it is a contributor to heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers
• Black and Latino people living below the poverty line experience it at a rate that is double the national average

While there is not good data right now about food insecurity in pets, we know that people who struggle to get food for themselves also struggle to get food for their pets. In 2021, over 53 million people visited food banks across the US. Since then, most food banks are reporting increases in the number of visitors they are seeing. The map below shows the prevalence of food insecurity in the US by state. 

How does your state compare? Does your community have quality, accessible food options? Have you seen pet food offered at local food banks?

References

• Feeding America. (2025). What is Food Insecurity? https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/food-insecurity
• US Department of Agriculture. (2024, July 9). Nutrition Security Promotion Toolkit. https://www.fns.usda.gov/programs/nutrition-security/promotion
• US Department of Agriculture. (2025, January 8). Food Security in the U.S. - Key Statistics & Graphics. Economic Research Service. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics

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Kaitlyn Davis
Research Associate
UTK Program for Pet Health Equity
Knoxville, TN
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Thanks for the data Kaitlyn! 

There are a couple of posts on Dr Blackwell's discussion about March being National Nutrition month that tells of a couple of programs that provide for all members of the family (human and pets) - https://forum.maddiesfund.org/onehealth/discussion/national-nutrition-month

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T' Fisher, Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity
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T' Fisher, Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity
------------------------------

Thank you for this information! Here at the Humane Society of Tennessee Valley, we have a pet food pantry where anyone can come and get food and sometimes supplies for your cat or dog. We've recently realized that sometimes its hard for people to get to us in Knoxville, so we are partnering with Companion Animal Initiative of Tennessee (CAIT), Knox Pride, and other organizations to take our pantry mobile and to our unhoused pet owners.

I just started here in April and during my first month we had a elderly woman come into the shelter, she started her sentence with saying that she's embarrassed and just started breaking down in tears as she told us that she wasn't sure if she had enough cat litter to get her until pay day, but she did have just enough food. Our pet pantry quickly became a passion project of mine as I watched the relief spread across her face and her embarrassed tears turn to grateful ones as we loaded her up with plenty of litter, and food, to get her through the month. 

If there is any way we can partner with the UTK Program for Pet Health Equity, please let me know! kandreasen@humanesocietytennessee.org 

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KaDee Andreasen
Development Director
Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley
TN
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Thank you KaDee for all you and HSTV do to help our community!

@Candice Hinkle would love to chat with you about AlignCare Knoxville
and ways we can partner together to help more families in need stay together. 

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T' Fisher, Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-16-2025 11:25 AM
From: KaDee Andreasen
Subject: Food Insecurity, A Public Health Crisis for People and Pets Alike

Thank you for this information! Here at the Humane Society of Tennessee Valley, we have a pet food pantry where anyone can come and get food and sometimes supplies for your cat or dog. We've recently realized that sometimes its hard for people to get to us in Knoxville, so we are partnering with Companion Animal Initiative of Tennessee (CAIT), Knox Pride, and other organizations to take our pantry mobile and to our unhoused pet owners.

I just started here in April and during my first month we had a elderly woman come into the shelter, she started her sentence with saying that she's embarrassed and just started breaking down in tears as she told us that she wasn't sure if she had enough cat litter to get her until pay day, but she did have just enough food. Our pet pantry quickly became a passion project of mine as I watched the relief spread across her face and her embarrassed tears turn to grateful ones as we loaded her up with plenty of litter, and food, to get her through the month. 

If there is any way we can partner with the UTK Program for Pet Health Equity, please let me know! kandreasen@humanesocietytennessee.org 

------------------------------
KaDee Andreasen
Development Director
Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley
TN
------------------------------

I am the President of PAWSitive Pantry that provides pet food in the state of Vermont and Massachusetts.  We do this by try not to create new systems of distribution, but utilizing systems that already exist.  In Vermont we are lucky that we have a partnership with the Vermont Foodbank so when people pick up their food for their family that includes pet food.   In Massachusetts we have a partnering service where we match local food pantries with volunteers who support that pantry with food(donated or purchased by us).  So...  the public really doesn't know that the food is provided by PAWSitive Pantry, but that is ok as it would be very costly for us and for the clients to create a new distribution system and requiring folks to make a special trip for pet food to your facility.  Just something to think about before setting up and "in house" program.  Feel free to check out our annual report to see the impact we can make as a small volunteer run organization.  

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Stacy LeBaron
Head Cat
The Community Cats Podcast
Warren VT
978-239-2090
------------------------------

Well, it's truly a small world. Stacy, I just read your bio and my brother and his wife just moved from Merrimack mass to Maine now Retired. They were not involved with Rescue much of your work is in their neighborhood so to speak. But as far as the food insecurity issues, I'm president of a very small rural northern New Mexico rescue. We have just added pet food once a month, even though the food pantry is once a week. It's something we used to do a number of years ago when the local Walmart donated a substantial amount of pet food. Any bag that was torn, was donated to three local rescues on a rotating basis. That allowed us to feed Local pets at no cost other than a few hours of volunteer time. This past year we partnered with the local Shelter to put in a program for the unhoused and their pets. Not just food, but spay/neuter and vaccinations as well as emergency medical care, again at no expense to us. A local Petsense store donates food when they have it. It's not regular, and it's often not enough. We recently decided to purchase food once a month for distribution and we can buy through our local co-op market at a very reasonable price, but the number of people that need to be fed is growing. We're doing as much as we possibly can, but it's not sustainable unless we can generate more significant fundraising. Our lack of volunteers, makes that a challenge. Our next step is to try to work with the food pantry that supplies food to the food bank and see what's available for pet food. To have more regular donations would be fantastic. So we're doing everything we can in an area where a large percentage of the people are struggling financially. Wish us luck!

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JUDITH PEARSON
President
The Dixon Animal Protection Society
NM
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-23-2025 05:26 AM
From: Stacy LeBaron
Subject: Food Insecurity, A Public Health Crisis for People and Pets Alike

I am the President of PAWSitive Pantry that provides pet food in the state of Vermont and Massachusetts.  We do this by try not to create new systems of distribution, but utilizing systems that already exist.  In Vermont we are lucky that we have a partnership with the Vermont Foodbank so when people pick up their food for their family that includes pet food.   In Massachusetts we have a partnering service where we match local food pantries with volunteers who support that pantry with food(donated or purchased by us).  So...  the public really doesn't know that the food is provided by PAWSitive Pantry, but that is ok as it would be very costly for us and for the clients to create a new distribution system and requiring folks to make a special trip for pet food to your facility.  Just something to think about before setting up and "in house" program.  Feel free to check out our annual report to see the impact we can make as a small volunteer run organization.  

------------------------------
Stacy LeBaron
Head Cat
The Community Cats Podcast
Warren VT
978-239-2090
------------------------------

Bailing Out Benji runs a pet food pantry out of our home office. We do it because there was a definite need in our community. Initially, our founder approached the local food banks asking them to take it on and even offered to fund the pet food if they would handle the distribution and they all declined. I'm grateful the pantries in your area were open to your partnership!! Thank you for supporting that program!

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Kristen Petty
Finance and Operations Director
Bailing Out Benji
IA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-23-2025 05:26 AM
From: Stacy LeBaron
Subject: Food Insecurity, A Public Health Crisis for People and Pets Alike

I am the President of PAWSitive Pantry that provides pet food in the state of Vermont and Massachusetts.  We do this by try not to create new systems of distribution, but utilizing systems that already exist.  In Vermont we are lucky that we have a partnership with the Vermont Foodbank so when people pick up their food for their family that includes pet food.   In Massachusetts we have a partnering service where we match local food pantries with volunteers who support that pantry with food(donated or purchased by us).  So...  the public really doesn't know that the food is provided by PAWSitive Pantry, but that is ok as it would be very costly for us and for the clients to create a new distribution system and requiring folks to make a special trip for pet food to your facility.  Just something to think about before setting up and "in house" program.  Feel free to check out our annual report to see the impact we can make as a small volunteer run organization.  

------------------------------
Stacy LeBaron
Head Cat
The Community Cats Podcast
Warren VT
978-239-2090
------------------------------

we will continue to try to find a way even if we can't work with the food pantry. It is one of the benefits of being in a small community. The local pet store manager grew up here and is on our volunteer fire department so we all work together For the community, for events, etc. between that store and our co-op market I think we can make it work. It's also something the community might really get behind. We just have to keep thinking outside the box, the litter box of course.

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JUDITH PEARSON
President
The Dixon Animal Protection Society
NM
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-25-2025 07:15 AM
From: Kristen Petty
Subject: Food Insecurity, A Public Health Crisis for People and Pets Alike

Bailing Out Benji runs a pet food pantry out of our home office. We do it because there was a definite need in our community. Initially, our founder approached the local food banks asking them to take it on and even offered to fund the pet food if they would handle the distribution and they all declined. I'm grateful the pantries in your area were open to your partnership!! Thank you for supporting that program!

------------------------------
Kristen Petty
Finance and Operations Director
Bailing Out Benji
IA
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 06-23-2025 05:26 AM
From: Stacy LeBaron
Subject: Food Insecurity, A Public Health Crisis for People and Pets Alike

I am the President of PAWSitive Pantry that provides pet food in the state of Vermont and Massachusetts.  We do this by try not to create new systems of distribution, but utilizing systems that already exist.  In Vermont we are lucky that we have a partnership with the Vermont Foodbank so when people pick up their food for their family that includes pet food.   In Massachusetts we have a partnering service where we match local food pantries with volunteers who support that pantry with food(donated or purchased by us).  So...  the public really doesn't know that the food is provided by PAWSitive Pantry, but that is ok as it would be very costly for us and for the clients to create a new distribution system and requiring folks to make a special trip for pet food to your facility.  Just something to think about before setting up and "in house" program.  Feel free to check out our annual report to see the impact we can make as a small volunteer run organization.  

------------------------------
Stacy LeBaron
Head Cat
The Community Cats Podcast
Warren VT
978-239-2090