211 Network by United Way - Your First Call for Help

With inflation at 40-year highs, workers across all income levels are having a harder time making ends meet.

As of May, 58% of Americans — roughly 150 million adults — live paycheck to paycheck, according to a new LendingClub report. That’s down slightly from 61% who reported living paycheck to paycheck in April but up from 54% in May 2021.

Even top earners say they are stretched thin, the report found. Of those earning $250,000 or more, 30% are living paycheck to paycheck. (Another recent survey, from consulting firm Willis Towers Watson, estimated 36% of those earning $100,000 or more are living paycheck to paycheck.)

Contents hide

1 Help with your next meal

1.1 Feeding America

1.2 211 by United Way

1.3 Freedge.Org

1.4 Little Free Pantry

1.5 Churches

2 Food Banks

3 Emergency Food Resources by State

3.52 Buy Nothing groups

Help with your next meal

Food insecurity hit an all time high during the peak of Covid-19. Due to inflation, stagnant wages, and corporate greed, meals remain hard to come by for many families still.

Feeding America

The Feeding America nationwide network of food banks and food programs helps millions of people find food and grocery help in their communities every year. Connect with your local food bank to learn about upcoming free food distributions and to apply for national food programs.

211 by United Way

211 is the free and anonymous phone number for families in need.

We are the boots on the ground, the local experts who make finding help easier. There are more than 200 211 agencies across the United States, each with a team of compassionate, highly trained community specialists who are available to help you access the best local resources and services to address any need.

The 211 network in the United States responds to more than 21 million requests for help every year. Most calls, web chats, and text messages are from people looking for help meeting basic needs like housing, food, transportation, and health care.

SNAP

WIC

FOOD FOR SENIORS

Freedge.Org

Freedge.org is a sharing mechanism aiming to reduce food insecurity and food waste, building a stronger community. They promote equal access to healthy food through the installation of community fridges (public refrigerators) that are used to share food and ideas at the neighborhood level.

Those with the means can help stock these freedges with excess produce, eggs, packaged meats and pantry staples. Those without can take what they need without judgement.

Little Free Pantry

LittleFreePantry.org The mini pantry movement is a grassroots, crowdsourced solution to immediate and local need. Whether a need for food or a need to give, mini pantries help feed neighbors, nourishing neighborhoods.

Churches

Check your church. Many local churches offer food for needy or homeless people. Sikh and Hare Krishna churches are especially generous. Look for the nearest Gurdwara (it’s a Sikh Temple) and everyone is welcome for a free vegetarian meal anytime, they only ask respect of following their customs. Cover your head and bow and pay respects to the holy book.

Food Banks

Food banks provide emergency food to local communities in the form of non-perishable groceries. Food banks are usually large warehouses that act as a hub to distribute emergency food to a network of agency providers like food pantries and soup kitchens. Some food banks distribute food directly from their warehouse, but not always.

The largest food bank network in America is run by Feeding America. If you need emergency food today, you should:

Find your local food bank on the Feeding America site.
Contact your local food bank to find food resources or partner agencies in your area. Ask for their food schedule. Some providers only give out groceries one or two days per month. You may need to supplement your groceries with multiple trips to different places, if possible.

Not all food banks are a part of Feeding America. You should also do a web search for:

“emergency food in [your city]”;
“food bank in [your city]”.

You can also contact the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (SP:1-877-8-HAMBRE) to learn more about food resources in your area.

Recently, food banks have become focused on providing healthier food, like fruits and vegetables. It is very possible you may be able to receive some bright, fresh fruits and vegetables at your local food provider.

Some emergency food providers also have special programs for at-risk populations, like children and seniors. Ask your food bank if there are special programs for people who are over 60 or who have disabilities.

Children may have access to additional options, especially during the summer months when schools are closed. To find summer meal sites for children, you can do a web search for:

Summer meals site in [your city].”

You can also use the USDA summer meal site finder.

Emergency Food Resources by State

Many people occasionally need emergency food as soon as possible to get them through the month/week/day.

The following are anti-hunger resources for each state. This list is far from comprehensive, but contacting your state listing(s) will bring you one step closer to finding groceries or a hot meal near you:

Buy Nothing groups

BuyNothing groups. “Buy nothing” groups are usually hosted on Facebook. Look up your city name and join the local groups to see what is available for free. Many groups

https://www.reddit.com/r/Food_Pantry/

Dumpster Diving

https://www.reddit.com/r/DumpsterDiving/

Help in the UK

Olio x FairShare Food Exchange

5 Ways To Manage Food Insecurity