According to the 2021 Howard County Health Assessment Survey, nearly one in six residents experience food insecurity and almost one in four expressed concerns about affording essential expenses like rent, mortgage or food; this trend has worsened, with the proportion of individuals facing food insecurity increasing from 6.4% in 2017 to 9.7% in 2022.
To address this issue, the Howard County Local Health Improvement Coalition, under the Howard County Health Department, secured a $225,000 grant from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield in response to their Place-Based Strategies: Diabetes Request for Proposals to establish the Howard County Food Council.
This initiative aims to tackle food insecurity holistically by enhancing the local food system through policy solutions and coordination of existing resources and providers to improve efficiency and ensure access.
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