MEMPHIS, TN – Millions of people in Tennessee don't know where their next meal is coming from. A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says 49 million families struggle to put food on the table, and 2.5 million are in Tennessee.
"The report says that 49.1 million Americans are food insecure, which means that they may not know where their next meal is coming from,” said Susan Sanford, executive director of the Mid-South Food Bank.
Talondra Woodard falls into that category since getting laid off from her job seven months ago. She’s relying on the Salvation Army for help.
“It’s hard for me to think about that -- millions are in the same situation as me,” said Woodard, who is also struggling to provide for her children, 7-year-old Jason and 2-year-old Jada. “I never expected to be on a job for four years and be laid off for seven months. It's tough. It's tough."
Sanford said that realization has hit new segments of the population.
“So many middle class people have joined the ranks of the food insecure,” she said. “So many middle class people have lost their jobs and need food assistance for the first time in their lives.”
She added, “in our area, there's been a 40 percent increase in need."
“Tennessee was number 11 of all the states in the entire country,” she said. “The most food insecure state in the entire nation is Mississippi. Arkansas is number three.”
John Webster hopes the food pantry at Crossway Church in Bartlett can help make a difference in the Memphis area. He visited the Mid-South Food Bank Thursday to stock up on items to distribute during the weekend. He said he’s expecting a crowd as Thanksgiving approaches.
“This Saturday will probably be the most people that we see at one time at the church,” he said. "We've done the best we can, so hopefully it's good enough.”
