Food Insecurity Is Closer Than Many of Us Realize

One out of seven people you meet may be quietly struggling to afford food.

Food insecurity does not always look the way people expect. It may be the neighbor working two jobs. The teacher buying snacks for students while worrying about her own grocery bill. The military family serving our country while stretching one paycheck across rent, utilities, child care, and food. The EMT, grocery worker, restaurant server, retail employee, or parent standing next to you in line.

Nationally, hunger remains one of the most pressing realities facing American households. Feeding America reports that 47.9 million people face food insecurity, and USDA data shows that 13.7% of U.S. households were food insecure at some point in 2024 — roughly one out of seven people you know. In 2024, more than 50 million Americans turned to food banks and pantries for help, underscoring how much families rely on charitable food systems when other options fall short.

Notably, the December 2025 USDA report may be the last of its kind. The current administration has announced it will no longer issue this annual benchmark, making independent and nonprofit tracking of hunger the primary remaining lens into food insecurity trends going forward. (Alliance to End Hunger)

At Crossfire Ministries, we see the human side of those numbers every day. Food insecurity is not just about an empty refrigerator. It is about families making hard choices between groceries and rent, food and heat, school supplies and gasoline, medicine and dinner.

The pressure is growing because the cost of daily life keeps rising

Food prices have continued to rise, even as many households still feel the effects of past inflation. USDA's 2026 Food Price Outlook projects that overall food prices will rise by 2.9% in 2026, with food at home expected to increase by 2.4% and food away from home by 3.6%. As a recent snapshot, food prices in March 2026 were 2.7% higher than in March 2025, while overall consumer prices were up 3.3% year over year.

But food is only one part of the picture. Feeding America identifies high living costs, low or unstable income, job loss, disability, health expenses, housing costs, utilities, and child care as major causes of food insecurity. When rent, heat, electric bills, medical costs, and transportation take more of a paycheck, families often have less left for groceries.

The Urban Institute's March 2026 report shows how widespread this pressure has become. Nearly one-third of working-age adults living with children (32.0%) reported food insecurity in 2025. Among moderate-income families — those earning between 200% and 400% of the federal poverty level — more than one-third (34.2%) also reported food insecurity, up from 30.6% the year prior.

That means food insecurity is not limited to people who are unemployed. It is increasingly affecting working households, middle-income families, and people who earn just enough to miss out on assistance but not enough to keep up with the real cost of living.

A growing threat: proposed cuts to the programs families depend on

The pressure on families may intensify in the months ahead. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed in July 2025, is set to cut SNAP — the nation's primary food assistance program — by nearly $187 billion through 2034, representing roughly a 20% reduction and the deepest cut in the program's history. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the changes will cause approximately 4 to 5 million people to lose nutrition assistance or see their benefits significantly reduced. For the first time, states will also be required to cover a larger share of SNAP administrative costs, forcing difficult decisions about eligibility and funding at the state level. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Food Research & Action Center)

Food insecurity is showing up in professions many people do not expect

Some of the people facing hunger are those our communities rely on every day.

Military personnel and their families. A 2026 Blue Star Families survey found that 27.7% of active-duty service members and their families are food insecure, and 30% of active-duty respondents said they "often or sometimes" could not afford to eat balanced meals. Among enlisted families specifically, 40% reported experiencing food insecurity — about 2.5 times the rate of comparable civilian adults.

Teachers and school staff. Teachers are often on the front lines of seeing student hunger, but they are also feeling the pressure themselves. A 2025 California Teachers Association report found that 86% of educators said everyday costs have risen faster than their salaries, and 83% were concerned about affording basic expenses such as gas, groceries, and electric bills.

Emergency services professionals. Even first responders are not immune. Recent reporting found that two out of three wildland firefighters surveyed said they might be forced to leave their jobs to earn enough for basic daily expenses like food and housing. EMTs and paramedics in major cities have described wages that make rent and food difficult to afford.

Food service workers. The people preparing and serving meals are often among those struggling to afford food themselves. One Fair Wage reported that the restaurant industry employs nearly 14 million workers, remains one of the lowest-paying major industries, and that restaurant workers are twice as likely as other workers to rely on food stamps to eat.

Retail, grocery, and hourly workers. Many grocery, clothing, warehouse, and retail employees work hard but still face unstable hours, changing schedules, and tight margins. A 2025 survey of more than 2,300 hourly workers found that 61% had skipped meals in the past year to cover other expenses, while 81% worried about paying bills on time.

These realities remind us that food insecurity is not a personal failure. It is often the result of rising costs, unstable work, insufficient wages, health challenges, benefit gaps, and unexpected life changes.

Colorado is not exempt

Here in Colorado, the need is close to home. Feeding Colorado reports that 12.7% of Coloradans were food insecure, or about one in eight residents, and many households facing hunger do not qualify for federal nutrition programs.

The Colorado Health Institute found that people earning just above benefit thresholds can face some of the highest levels of food insecurity. More than one in five Coloradans earning two to three times the poverty level reported food insecurity, even though many are above SNAP eligibility limits.

Locally, the pressure has been building for months. Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado has reported that partner agencies are already seeing more people than they have ever seen, warning that "going forward, we'll see less food in the system and more people will need it." Food pantries across Colorado Springs describe a "perfect storm" — demand rising, resources shrinking, and the looming impact of federal SNAP cuts still ahead.

This is why Crossfire Ministries matters

At Crossfire Ministries, our guests are not statistics, cases, or problems to be solved. They are neighbors, families, seniors, workers, parents, and children in tight places.

Crossfire exists to show the love of God to people in tight places by providing no-cost groceries, clothing, and care. Our goal is to offer more than food. We offer hospitality, dignity, practical compassion, and the freedom of shopping for groceries with choice.

Every donation helps stretch a household budget. Every volunteer hour helps keep shelves stocked. Every pallet of food purchased helps a family redirect limited dollars toward rent, utilities, medicine, transportation, or clothing.

Food insecurity may be closer than many of us realize — but so is the opportunity to help.

Help feed hope today

You can make a difference for families in tight places across Colorado Springs.

Make a donation, sponsor food by the pallet, host a food drive, or bring a volunteer team to serve. To learn more, contact contact@crossfireministries.org or visit crossfireministries.org.

Together, we can help ensure that one out of seven does not stand alone.