Food Insecurity and Disability: The Overlooked Connection

Among the many faces of food insecurity in Connecticut, people living with disabilities represent one of the most consistently overlooked groups. The intersection of disability and hunger is real, measurable, and largely absent from the public conversation around food access.

According to national data from the USDA, households that include at least one person with a disability face food insecurity at nearly double the rate of households without disabilities. In Connecticut, where approximately 11% of the population lives with some form of disability, this translates to tens of thousands of individuals facing both the barriers of their condition and the added strain of not having enough to eat.

WHY THE CONNECTION EXISTS

Transportation is one of the primary barriers. Many people with mobility limitations cannot drive or access public transit independently. Reaching a grocery store, a food pantry, or a farmers market requires significant logistical effort.

Fixed incomes compound the problem. Disability-related income, whether SSDI or SSI, typically falls well below the poverty line. After paying for housing, medications, and assistive devices, food budgets are often the first thing squeezed.

Physical limitations can also affect the ability to cook. Pre-prepared or shelf stable options that do not require cooking are often less nutritious and more expensive per serving.

WHAT CONNECTICUT IS DOING

CT Foodshare and its partner organizations have expanded home delivery programs and mobile pantry routes that reach individuals who cannot travel to fixed sites. Programs specifically designed for seniors and people with disabilities are among the most critical expansions in the food security network right now.

Our virtual food drive contributes directly to the operational capacity that makes these programs possible.

Support our virtual food drive: https://donate.ctfoodshare.org/campaign/the-white-oak-bridge/c598051

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