Michigan’s Food Insecurity Epidemic

Detroit, Michigan, has been classified as a food desert for quite a while, with a CBS News article from 2022 detailing the formation of the food desert in the state’s biggest city. Many people are forced to travel miles from their homes to find healthy and affordable food, which poses a huge problem for nutrition within the city, especially when 33% of the city’s residents don’t have access to vehicles.

Food insecurity is a prevailing problem within the state of Michigan, with certain Northeast Michigan counties seeing a 17-20% food insecurity rating. This number surpasses the state average of 14.2%. Food insecurity is disproportionately present in low-income, rural communities with little access to supermarkets. Where an individual lives should not have any bearing on their access to food, as it far too often has on Michigan residents; read more here.