High Levels of Household Food Insecurity Persist among Families in Boston, Massachusetts during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Key Takeaways

• In Metro Boston, rates of household food insecurity have persisted at high levels among Children’s HealthWatch families.
• Since the COVID-19 pandemic, preliminary data show 38.5 percent of families with very young children were food insecure.
• Federal, state, and local emergency response policies may have prevented the rate from climbing higher, but many families remain without adequate income and access to supports and services that alleviate food insecurity.
• Further analysis disaggregating by race/ethnicity, immigrant status, and access to supports will be forthcoming – as well as data from other Children’s HealthWatch sites in Arkansas, Maryland, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania