Every day people live not knowing if they will consistently have healthy, nourishing food available to them. This is known as food insecurity. Through our Storytelling project, we aim to uplift the stories of people in our community who have experienced food insecurity.

Feeding America states that causes of food insecurity include poverty, unemployment, and low income. Lack of affordable housing, chronic health conditions, and even lack of access to healthcare may also cause food insecurity. If you are wondering how housing could impact food insecurity, think about where someone would store food if they did not have a place to store their belongings. Or if their rent was so high, they had to choose between having a roof over their head and purchasing food.

Many folks experienced food insecurity during the covid 19 pandemic due to inadequate distribution of food and supply chain issues. We have seen the price of eggs skyrocket, due to Avian flu and the inflated cost of chicken feed or watched lettuce become sparse in stores due to changing climate conditions and fertilizer shortages due to the Ukrainian invasion. These factors impact someone’s ability to get or afford food, leading to food insecurity. People who have used WIC (Women Infants Children) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) have experienced food insecurity. Those who use food banks, mutual aid, or food pantries have as well. Some people use coupons to help stretch their budget. Some choose to feed their kids and skip a meal for themselves. Food insecurity may be temporary for some due to the loss of a job, income change or other facts. However, food insecurity can also be a long-term situation.

The Storytelling Project welcomes members of Cortland County to join the Hunger Coalition and Seven Valleys Health Coalition to discuss their experiences with food insecurity. We invite individuals to share their story privately with our staff. We will use the stories we collect to help bring this health issue into the light and show what food our neighbors, friends, co-workers, and community members face insecurity it looks like here in Cortland County. The Storytelling Project allows us to work directly with people living in Cortland County who experience food insecurity. The goal is to uplift the lived experiences of people who have experienced food insecurity in Cortland. Through this work, we aim to remove stigma while humanizing the challenges faced by our neighbors, friends, co-workers, and community members. 

Our goal is to hear from people across various age groups, races, ethnicities, genders, and diverse communities. Use this link to share your story now or sign up to share confidentially with a staff member: https://tinyurl.com/StorytellingCC23. You can also contact Olivia at Olivia@sevenvalleyshealth.org or by phone at (607) 756-4198 Ext. 229. Interviews will be conducted via phone or zoom, whatever is most comfortable for the participant.

This project idea originated as part of the Hunger Coalition meeting. The Hunger Coalition is a group of community members and organizations working to solve hunger in Cortland County. This group is a subcommittee of the Cortland Food Policy project, which examines programs, policies, conversations, and decisions related to food insecurity. The Hunger Coalition works to make sure that those who experience food insecurity have a space to share their story and get help within our community. This project is financially supported by the J.M. McDonald Foundation.

The Struggles around Food: Storytelling