This Veterans Day, we honor those who have served in the United States Military. About 1 in 9 working-age veterans experience food insecurity, with 24% of active-duty service members recorded as food insecure in 2020 (Feeding America). According to the United States Department of Agriculture, working-age veterans are at a greater risk (7.4%) of experiencing food insecurity compared to non-veterans. For disabled veterans, this number of food insecure military families rises nearly three times to 22.5% (USDA-ERS). 1.2 million low-income veterans utilize the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP) to ease the impacts of food insecurity on veteran households (Feeding America). Our guest, Kimberly Hazelgrove, Advocacy Coordinator at the Second Harvest Foodbank of North Central Ohio, shares with us her experience as an Ohio veteran, and the lived experience of many military households across the nation. Kimberly shares her firsthand experience with the barriers military families face such as low pay, geographic isolation, physical and mental health struggles, and grief.

We want to thank Kimberly for her vulnerability and her willingness to speak with us about her life and lived experience as a veteran, widow, active member, and advocate. Thank you for trusting us with your story and your thoughts. Thank you to all those who have served our country in the United States Military, as we honor you, and those who have lost their lives fighting for our country, this Veterans Day.

References:

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors – Caring for Families of Americas Heros: TAPS

Find an Ohio County Veterans Service Offices: Ohio Department of Veterans Services

Determining Veterans Status – Verification Assistance Brief: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Ohio Inter-Service Family Assistance Committee (ISFAC) – State and Regional Partnership in Support of Ohio’s Military.

Gold Star Spouses of America - goldstarspouses.org - Serving surviving spouses of America’s fallen service members and veterans

Find your local foodbank to find help, volunteer, and donate here.     

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