Food insecurity addressed in Accomack Co.

A number of organizations came together to host a Food Summit on Wednesday at Eastern Shore Community College in order to address food insecurity.

Data from FeedingAmerica.org find there are close to 4,840 people and 1,450 children who are food insecure in Accomack County.

State and educational leaders at Wednesday’s summit held by Eastern Shore Healthy Communities, the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia and Smart Beginnings of the Eastern Shore brought several ideas to the table.

One idea included offering after-school and summer meals for students in need.

Patti Kiger, executive director of Eastern Shore Healthy Communities, says the focus now is pursuing which solutions would be most feasible for a problem that comes with cascading health issues.

“Self esteem issues…mental health issues.” She explains, “It’s a shame to think that anybody who lives in a place where we grow fruits and vegetables by the acre and we can catch lean protein from the sea by the nautical mile that anybody should be hungry here on the Eastern Shore.”

We’re told the Eastern Shore Healthy Communities group does not accept monetary donations. Instead, they would like members in the community to step up and offer strategic solutions to address hunger.

For more information on participating, click here.