For many, it is easy to take food for granted. It is easily accessible, and you have a choice of fresh and healthy ingredients. For at least 49 million Americans, this is not their reality. For reasons such as underemployment, unemployment, low wages, or illness many Americans rely on food banks and feeding centers to access food. SeaShare actively works with the Feeding America network to provide the healthiest of foods, seafood, to affiliated food banks.

Here are a few facts from Feeding America to show you the face of hunger in America:

• 49 million Americans lived in food-insecure households, including:
  • 16 million children
  • 9 million seniors.
• Of these 49 million, many face significant health challenges because they lack access to healthier food. Of the food bank client households,
  • 58% reported having a member with high blood pressure
  • 33% reported having a member with diabetes.
• Many frequently face difficult decisions in an effort to ensure they have sufficient food:
  • 67% had to choose between food and transportation
  • 66% had to choose between food and medical care
  • 57% had to choose between food and housing
  • 79% purchased inexpensive food, even if they knew it wasn’t the healthiest option, in an effort to provide enough calories for their household.

Over the years, food banks have expanded their inventory to include more fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins. However, there is still a huge protein deficit because of rising costs and accessibility. This is where SeaShare comes into play. Through donations and partnership programs, SeaShare provides the healthiest protein available to food banks across the U.S. SeaShare also enables seafood to reach remote areas (examples include villages surrounding Kotzebue, AK and St. Paul Island, AK). In a recent effort, SeaShare coordinated with 26 partners to make a truckload of beautiful salmon steaks available to a food bank. It takes a team and people who care about equal access to healthy food to keep this effort going.

Join us by making a donation on our Donate Page.