Op-Ed by Pastor Cornelius Parks of the Good Hope Free Will Baptist Church

The start of Spring brings so many opportunities for us to come together with family, friends, and loved ones – Easter gatherings, Passover seders, iftar meals during Ramadan, or just celebrations of warmer weather ahead. However, even during this exciting time of year, too many families across our city and our state face food insecurity, and the same dedication we see around Thanksgiving and Christmas to address this issue through food drives, holiday meals, and other gatherings does not exist year-round. As someone who sees this issue in my community every day, I know it’s not an issue we can ignore until next November comes around.

Need does not have a season – it’s a crisis that nearly 34 million Americans experience throughout the year and a crisis that has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. And just like the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a crisis that does not affect everyone equally. Black and Latino households face food insecurity at a disproportionately higher rate – at triple and double the rate respectively – than white households.

This is a problem that hits close to home. A 2022 study from the Greater Chicago Food Depository found that 16% of households in the Chicago area experience food insecurity, including 22% of households with children, with significantly higher rates for families of color. Many also live in food deserts, with little or no convenient access to grocery stores to find affordable, fresh food for themselves and their families.

While there are many organizations and individuals leading important and impactful work to address this crisis, the problem is too great to solve on an individual level. Food insecurity deserves our full attention year-round, and should be addressed through a coordinated effort with key stakeholders and our communities to provide our neighbors with the resources they need.

The faith community already plays an integral role in addressing this crisis. Churches and congregations reach people right where they are, while providing safe spaces for fellowship, gatherings, and families to ask for help. The church may be the building, but it is the congregation, full of dedicated individuals deeply in tune with their communities and the needs found within, that help faith organizations make a real impact.

Faith communities also partner with larger organizations focused on addressing food insecurity and other issues, providing a boots-on-the-ground approach to serving those in need. Successful partnerships between government agencies, faith communities, and outside organizations, including businesses, have helped faith communities use their deep roots to build trust and create relationships so that partners’ resources are effectively used to tackle local issues. For example, government entities such as the Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships have helped churches across the nation tackle food insecurity, through partnerships with local businesses, nonprofits, research institutions, and residents.

Right here in Chicago, the Good Hope Free Will Baptist Church on the West Side, where I serve as pastor, has taken steps toward addressing our community’s needs by partnering with companies like DoorDash on a number of events supporting families.We give turkeys to local families for at-home Thanksgiving celebrations; provide hygiene supplies and a place for a shared hot meal for those experiencing homelessness on Valentine’s Day; and are looking forward to our annual Easter basket giveaway and barbecue meal in just a few weeks. DoorDash and the business community have helped us fill in the gaps of what we were able to provide for our community, allowing us to reach more people in need.

These short term, one-off solutions have a real impact, but they do not address the full scope of the problem. Churches and community organizations are not equipped to address the social determinants that lead individuals and families to food insecurity and cannot provide the necessary long-term support to end this problem on our own.

To solve it, community organizations and houses of faith need to find sustainable means of support year-round from local policymakers and governments to help address the broader causes of food insecurity, alongside the partners who can complement our work. The church has people who are willing and ready to help, but it will take both public and private support ensuring we make as great of an impact as possible.

The crisis of food insecurity is much bigger than any church or city, but is something we have the power to make real progress toward addressing. Focusing on this issue every day and joining forces with the companies and entities that have the resources to make a difference will allow us to holistically tackle food insecurity and build stronger communities.