Special to Lake Okeechobee News
FLORIDA — It’s getting significantly harder to put food on the table, according to a new poll commissioned by No Kid Hungry Florida. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Floridians reported affording groceries has become harder in the last 12 months. A key driver: an overwhelming majority (78%) said the cost of food is rising faster than their income.
Parents and Floridians who reside in rural areas are being hit the hardest. Most parents (82%) and rural respondents (92%) reported it was harder to afford groceries in the last year.
“Just how many Floridians are struggling to afford food for their families will come as a surprise for many,” said No Kid Hungry Florida Director Sky Beard. “Our poll shows rising food prices are outpacing families’ incomes, forcing many to sacrifice healthy options like fresh produce and protein and shop at multiple locations to stretch their grocery budget. Floridians are increasingly stressed about how to afford enough nutritious food, particularly families with children and those living in rural parts of the state.”
Food insecurity extends across income levels, with both middle and lower-income Floridians facing hunger at substantial rates. More than half (60%) of households making between $50-99k (Florida’s median income is 67,917) and the majority (89%) of households making less than $50k reported at least one indicator of food insecurity.
Many are sacrificing their time and their health to extend their food budget. More than half (58%) reported shopping at multiple locations, shopping at less convenient locations because it was cheaper (48%), buying less protein (45%), or buying less or no fresh produce (40%) to stretch their grocery budget.
“This crisis is being experienced in every part of the state, and Floridians are united in saying they want bipartisan action to end child hunger,” said Beard.
Key Findings:
• It’s getting harder and harder to afford groceries, with three-quarters (72%) of Floridians reporting having a harder time affording groceries now compared to this time last year.
• Incomes are not keeping pace with rising food prices, with the overwhelming majority (78%) sharing that the cost of food is rising faster than their income.
Parents and rural Floridians are struggling, with 82% of parents and 92% of rural respondents reporting they’re having a harder time affording groceries.
• Both middle and lower-income Floridians are greatly affected as more than half (60%) of respondents with annual household incomes between $50k-$100k and the majority (89%) of those making less than $50k report at least one indicator of food insecurity.
• There is overwhelming support for ending childhood hunger in Florida with nearly all (95%) of Floridians agreeing that child hunger should not exist in Florida and almost unanimously (95%) agreeing ending child hunger should be a bipartisan issue.
Read a summary of the poll
here, and see the full questionnaire, methodology and results
here. The poll of 1,347 Florida adults was conducted by
Change Research between March 16-20, 2024, and has a margin error of +/- 3.6%.
