A community can’t thrive when its tables are bare. In West Tennessee, food insecurity is more than just an empty fridge or skipped meals — it’s a silent crisis shaping the future and health of countless families.
Behind each skipped meal lies a web of challenges, including housing insecurity, transportation hurdles and economic instability, all of which perpetuate cycles of hardship. Tackling this crisis demands immediate, unified action that addresses its root causes and empowers our community to create lasting solutions.
On Nov. 18, I had the honor of hosting a roundtable in Jackson with local leaders, healthcare professionals and advocates. We discussed the barriers that families face in accessing nutritious food and how those barriers intersect with broader health disparities across the region.
The conversation was enlightening, underscoring the complexity of the issue while providing clear paths forward.
A single grocery store closing can cause a ripple effect
It’s important to recognize that food insecurity doesn’t exist in isolation. It is intricately connected to economic hardship, limited access to transportation and the scarcity of affordable housing.