Greenwich is home to some of the wealthiest families in Connecticut, it is also home to families who struggle to afford their basic needs, such as housing, child care and food. According to Community Eligibility Provision Annual Notification of Schools: School Level Data for 2023 - 24, four of Greenwich’s public schools have a notably high percentage of their student body eligible for free and reduced meals based on participation in other means tested programs: New Lebanon (43.06%), Hamilton Ave (38.03%), Julian Curtis (37.10%) and Western Middle School (28.43%). The Greenwich United Way’s Needs Assessment 2020 found that 7% of the town's population live below the poverty level, and 22% are ALICE: Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed. Almost one third of Greenwich residents are just one family illness or missed paycheck away from financial catastrophe.
The root causes of food insecurity are systemic, complex, and fraught with inequities. This panel discussion will feature leaders from our community who work closely with food insecure families. They will discuss fundamental barriers to accessing nourishing affordable food. Panelists will address the stigma and false assumptions that people, including children, endure because they are food insecure.
We will highlight local and statewide solutions that include, and go beyond, emergency assistance. Initiatives such as Fridgeport, Food Rescue Fairfield County, CT Farm to School, Produce Prescription Programs, Universal School Meals, double SNAP benefits at farmers markets, community gardens and farms, all aim to foster dignity and solidarity between neighbors.
No one is immune to financial hardship, regardless of one's class status. Initiatives that work towards a just and equitable food system are powerful connectors, with great potential to lessen misconceptions, bridge disparities, and cultivate community. We hope you will join us.
