Copyright time
Last month, the Trump Administration canceled the USDA’s annual Household Food Security Report—the only national data source that measures hunger by age, disability status, and household composition. For the first time in 30 years, America will no longer track hunger nationwide. Without that data, millions of older adults like Rubem will vanish from view as the social safety net continues to collapse around them. That decision could not have come at a worse time. Beyond the imminent threat to SNAP, benefits have already been slashed in the long run by leaders in Washington. Meanwhile, inflation and new tariffs continue driving food costs higher. In New York, grocery prices have risen more than 50% over the past decade, far outpacing wages and fixed retirement income. Those in need, including older Americans, are hit hardest by these cuts. Our neighbors who are physically or cognitively impaired, homebound, and socially isolated are unable to access additional food. They can’t travel to a local food pantry to supplement what they have. On fixed incomes, every price increase means skipping a meal or cutting a prescription in half. We estimate that nearly 13 million older Americans face food insecurity. With an aging population, that number will only grow.
