September: Hunger Action Month
For people returning to their communities after incarceration, reentry can come with many challenges. Finding employment, securing stable housing, accessing transportation and navigating benefits can all take time and create financial strain.
One barrier that can be overlooked is access to healthy, affordable food.
When people are focused on meeting basic needs and rebuilding stability, putting food on the table can quickly become an urgent concern. Food insecurity can affect not only individuals returning home, but also their families and communities.
Food Access Is Part of Successful Reentry
Successful reentry means addressing the whole picture. Employment and housing are important, but so are the everyday necessities that help people and families build a stable life.
For individuals returning home after incarceration, limited income, transportation challenges or difficulty accessing benefits can make it harder to consistently afford nutritious food. These challenges can compound other reentry barriers and add additional stress during an already significant transition.
Ensuring that formerly incarcerated individuals have access to healthy, affordable food can help remove one of these barriers and support individuals and families as they work toward stability.
Coming home shouldn’t mean going hungry. Food access is an important part of supporting successful reentry and building healthier, stronger communities.
The Reentry Coalition and our agency members are committed to supporting individuals through every step of their reentry journey. Learn more about available resources here.
