Food insecurity is one of the most pervasive social issues plaguing our country, and a Black woman is at the helm of trying to fix it.
Claire Babineaux Fontenot, leads Feeding America, America’s largest charity according to a recent Forbes report.
The organization is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based agencies.
“People saw something that they didn’t understand before this—food insecurity,” said Babineaux-Fontenot, in an interview with Forbes. The charity also claim the top spot on the outlet’s America’s Top 100 Charities, list, replacing United Way from long-held position. I
Per the outlet, Feeding America claimed $4.06 billion in gifts, equating to about a 47% increase over the past two years.
Since the pandemic and subsequent economic inflation, food insecurity rates have grown. Since June of this year, 9% of U.S. adults have reported skipping meals and another 12% said they ate lower quality foods based on what they can afford, Forbes points out.
“It’s not good for the country that there are so many people who have to rely on us,” said Babineaux-Fontenot to the outlet. “I want to take the shame out of being hungry I like to dream big.”