Food Insecurity are found virtually everywhere across the globe. Even the most unpopulated areas have a variation of food deserts. Food insecurity is not having access to sufficient food to meet one’s needs due to social or economic reasons. It can be with or without hunger. In 2019, it was estimated that about 18.8 million people in the United States live in low income and low access areas where they are up to 10 miles away from the closest grocery store. Of course, when you think about food deserts your thoughts may immediately go to the South or the Midwest, where there are areas with towns being up an hour or more from major cities. But, food deserts are found throughout the country. Here in Delaware, there are food deserts scattered across the state – sometimes just a zipcode change and a walk away from a bustling hub of growth
Delaware is small, yes, but we still face big problems. As of 2023, about 1 in 8 people in Delaware face food insecurity. This is important because not having access to nutritious food, it can lead to chronic diseases such as but not limited to:
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Heart Attack
In 2024, the Delaware Grocery Initiative was signed into law to help increase the financial support for healthy food resources in food desert areas. Within the last month there have been grants distributed to 22 local grocery stores to help combat food insecurity.
Food Bank of America, though with just one location in Delaware, has a presence throughout the state. You can find their information here on our website. Upcoming events that are being held are their second annual The Farmer and The Chef. Find out more about this event, visit their website.
For more information about the data about what Diabetes and Hypertension looks like in Delaware, find it on our website as well.
Resources:
Feeding America. (2025). Map the Meal Gap: Overall executive summary. Feeding America. https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/map-the-meal-gap/overall-executive-summary
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (2025). Food Access Research Atlas: Documentation. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/documentation#comparisons
Delaware Public Media. (2025, July 9). Delaware Grocery Initiative awards $250,000 in grants to battle food insecurity. https://www.delawarepublic.org/politics-government/2025-07-09/delaware-grocery-initiative-awards-250-000-in-grants-to-battle-food-insecurity
Feeding America. (2025). Hunger in Delaware. Feeding America. https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/delaware