Changing Times in Rural America: Food Assistance and Food Insecurity in Food Deserts

Abstract

Poverty and hunger are increasingly significant issues facing the United States. An additional trend, the consolidation in food retail, also contributes to food insecurity. This qualitative study of rural food insecure households investigates how assistance services and retail consolidation affect hunger for households in a changing rural environment. The data shows disparities exist in the amount of food assistance available based on household levels of social integration and social capital, leaving less connected residents experiencing hunger.

KEYWORDS:

• poverty
• food assistance
• food desert
• food security
• social capital