Fostering Food and Nutrition Equity in NH
A look at initiatives promoting equitable access to healthy meals and empowering communities, with sustainable solutions that drive positive change.
The transformation into a comprehensive food system that meets the needs of all its residents is a central focus in New Hampshire. Spearheaded by New Hampshire’s Food Alliance, and informed by its involvement in the Food Solutions New England regional network, New Hampshire has undertaken proactive measures to address food insecurity, promote racial justice, and advance nutrition equity. The New Hampshire Center for Justice and Equity spoke with Joanne Burke, Board Chair of New Hampshire Hunger Solutions, who frames the issue of hunger as not simply a matter of food availability but a symptom of deeply entrenched, complex socio-economic and historical dynamics. By examining the multifaceted aspects of food equity, New Hampshire hopes to build a more just, inclusive, and sustainable food landscape for all residents.
“Hunger is a political and economic issue in America. There’s more than enough food available to feed everyone, yet hunger is documented in every county in the United States, and has increased by 25% from 2021 to 2022. USDA data released in October 2023 indicate an average of 12.8 % (or 1 in 8) households now report food insecurity; for those with children, the rate is over 1 in 6.”
The ability to eat nourishing food is primarily determined by how much income you, or your caregivers, earn. Persistent disparities and discrimination in wages and wealth translate into higher rates of food insecurity by gender, race, and household composition. While the recent USDA survey indicated white, non-Hispanic households had rates of food insecurity of 9.3%, Black and Hispanic rates were much higher at 22.4% and 20.8% respectively. For children in households led by single women, rates are at a staggering 33.1%, while households led by single males reported rates of 21.2%. Additionally, in households with people with disabilities there is also an increased risk of food insecurity: in 2021, in households with an adult age 18-64 who reported a disability, but were unable to work because of it, 24% were food insecure. A 2023 study of LGBTQ+ individuals in New England indicated rates of food insecurity that are two to three times higher than those individuals who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.
Immediate Relief Efforts are Critical but Won’t End Hunger
Community-Based Assistance
Emergency food provider networks, including food banks, soup kitchens, and community pantries play a critical role in addressing immediate food needs. They often ensure that households avoid painful hunger. These programs frequently fill in gaps for those whose federal food assistance funds do not last the entire month. Additionally, since many of these community-based programs welcome client participation without strict income limits, the programs reach many of the working poor whose incomes exceed federal food assistance program eligibility criteria, but who struggle to put nourishing food on their tables.
“According to Feeding America, the largest Food Banking non-profit in the United States, in 2022, 49 million people turned to food banks and community programs for assistance. As we work towards not only promoting food security, but nutrition equity, the demands on the emergency food provider network become all the more challenging. Some pantries can’t store perishable foods such as meats, milk, fresh fruits, and vegetables, and are thus not poised to safely distribute a variety of health-promoting foods. The organizations often help to prevent the immediate discomfort of hunger, but the long term impacts of poor diet quality remains a risk for many who are dependent upon the charitable food network.”
Federal Food Assistance Programs
There are 16 federal food assistance programs, and the largest one is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), followed by the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women and Children (WIC), and then the National School Lunch Program. The Granite State has expanded SNAP eligibility so that many people who earn up to 200% of the official poverty level (annual household salary of up to $ 46,060) may be eligible. National data shows that families that enroll in SNAP do better, and their children do better in school.
“Part of it is probably just taking some of that household stress. It isn’t just about the physical lack of food; kids worry when there’s no food in the refrigerator and wonder if they should eat less because their parents are going to be hungry.”
Despite the foundational role of this program, New Hampshire ranks 39th out of 50 states in SNAP participation. Presently, there is an incredibly large gap in NH between those eligible and those who are actually enrolled. According to Joanne Burke, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has engaged with the NH Food Bank to promote statewide SNAP awareness and enrollment.
“If we could at least get the people eligible for SNAP enrolled, then people would have more dignity going to a grocery store and/or selected farmers market where they can use their electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card to buy what they want. Clients are not worried about pantry hours. They can choose if they have special ethnic or dietary needs. They can choose the foods they need or want when they have their own purchasing power.”
In addition to the NH DHHS and NH Food Bank, many organizations and members of the statewide NH Food Access Coalition and SNAP Coalition organized by New Hampshire Hunger Solutions are actively working on promoting outreach for SNAP, as well as promoting policies and legislation that are designed to end hunger and address its multifaceted causes in the state.
Addressing Root Causes: Tackling Poverty and Systemic Inequality
For Joanne Burke, responding to immediate needs will only go so far in addressing the issue of hunger: “We have institutionalized poverty in response to it. I call the Emergency Food Provider Network, the Chronic Food Provider Network.”
Hunger does not exist in isolation. Often, individuals are blamed for not being able to put food on their table, but food insecurity is connected with broader social issues, particularly the impact of historical wage discrimination, access to education, and structural policies on poverty levels. Additionally, poor nutrition leads to poor health outcomes, which can increase healthcare costs related to primary care and chronic illness.
To achieve lasting solutions, we must address the root causes of hunger rather than solely relying on short-term relief efforts, Burke says. New inclusive policies and holistic support systems are essential to address the underlying complexities contributing to food insecurity.
Promoting Nutrition Equity and Combating Stigma
The discourse on food equity has extended beyond quantity to emphasize the importance of nutritional equity and food quality. Burke's nuanced perspective highlighted the challenges faced by individuals with limited resources, often having to prioritize cost-effective options over nutrient-dense foods:
“There’s a movement to not just talk about food equity, but rather nutrition equity to say that ending hunger is not just about supplying enough calories. If you’re running out of dollars, you’re gonna stretch them. And a big bag of store-brand chips goes further than two or three oranges. So you tell me if you’re hungry and have hungry kids, what are you gonna buy?”
Food and nutrition equity are about the power of choice. Everybody should have an equal chance of eating well. People with sufficient income may not always choose to eat nutrient-dense foods, but at least they have the choice.
Moreover, there is a stigma surrounding hunger in New Hampshire, which often prevents people from seeking the assistance they need or enrolling in programs like SNAP. The loss of some of the assistance and relief programs in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with inflation and rising costs of living, have squeezed household budgets leaving the vulnerable even more vulnerable. As a result, there are more and more people who can't make ends meet in the Granite State despite being employed. And because food insecurity is still wrongly seen as a ‘personal failing,’ there is shame around getting needed assistance.
“There’s a perception in New Hampshire that hunger doesn’t exist and most people do not want to admit the extent of the breadth and depth of it. And part of our goal at Hunger Solutions is to create awareness but also to build grassroots efforts.”
Looking Ahead: A Call to Collaborative Action
Joanne Burke is hopeful about the potential to expand upon existing resources that don't demand anything new but to get people enrolled in existing food assistance programs. The emergency food provider network plays a critical role in bridging food access gaps while the push for new legislation and policy is underway. By addressing the structural issues underpinning food insecurity and championing inclusive policies, New Hampshire hopes to pave the way for a future where food equity becomes a cornerstone of societal well-being and resilience.
“Looking upstream at the root causes of hunger means we, as a state and nation, must also address gender and racial wage discrimination gaps, affordable housing, access to affordable transportation, and health care costs. Though in all civil societies, there will be individuals who need assistance and support, our goal for lessening the demands on food assistance via system changes that ensure better wages, educational opportunities, and gender and racial equity would bring about sustainable changes that position each individual and family to achieve their full potential.”
As the president of the New Hampshire Hunger Solutions Board, Burke highlighted the positive strides made thus far, while fully recognizing the challenges ahead. It is through collective caring and continued collective efforts in policy and practices that we can build a more just, equitable and sustainable future for all.
About Joanne Delaney Burke
Joanne Delaney Burke
Joanne Delaney Burke is a nutrition and sustainable food system consultant, a registered dietitian, and a clinical professor emerita at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Professional and personal efforts are directed toward promoting nutrition & wellness equity via community, state, regional, and national policies and programs. She believes in the critical need for systems change and the power of education, engagement, advocacy, and policy to advance food and climate justice.
In addition to serving on the NHHS Board of Directors, Joanne is also a member of the NH Food Access Coalition and the Racial Equity and Climate Action teams of the statewide NH Food Alliance. She is on the steering committee for the Food Solutions New England 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge, a national online initiative designed to explore racial equity using a food systems lens. She is an NH Healthcare Workers for Climate Action member and serves on the steering committee for Sustainable Food Systems of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Joanne earned her BS in nutritional sciences from the University of Rhode, her master's with dietetic internship from Tufts, and her PhD from UNH.