Hunger

• In the U.S., over 47 million people, including 14 million children, experience food insecurity each year, meaning they don’t consistently have access to enough nutritious food.

• In 2023, 69% of families facing hunger reported choosing between paying for food and utilities, while 66% had to choose between food and medical care.

• Food insecurity disproportionately affects people of color and marginalized communities, due to systemic barriers and discrimination.

• Hunger is closely linked to negative health outcomes, increasing the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.

• Children are especially vulnerable to food insecurity, which can cause developmental delays, behavioral issues, and difficulties in school.

 

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Homelessness

• On a single night in January 2023, over 653,000 people were experiencing homelessness, marking a significant 12.1% increase from the previous year.

• More than 50% of people experiencing homelessness in 2023 were unsheltered, meaning they were living in conditions not suitable for habitation.

• The number of first-time homeless individuals has risen by 23% between 2019 and 2023.

• People of color, including Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic communities, are disproportionately impacted by homelessness due to systemic inequalities.

• The primary driver of homelessness continues to be the lack of affordable housing, with the number of renter households burdened by high housing costs rising significantly.

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Food Safety

What Do Packaging Dates Mean?

“Sell by” means the store should sell the product by the printed date, but the product still can be safely eaten by the consumer.

“Best if used by” means the consumer should use the product by the date listed for best quality and flavor (not for safety reasons).

“Use by” or “Expires” means the product should be used by consumers by the date listed; you are likely to see a marked deterioration in product quality and safety after that date.

 

The Real Shelf Life of Food Products

Today’s practices of processing and adding preservatives to most foods commercially manufactured food significantly extends the life of food products. Always use your best judgment to determine the safety of consuming any foods, and remember “If in doubt, throw it out".​

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