Take Charge of Your Health Today…Food Insecurity

This month’s Take Charge of Your Health Today focuses on food insecurity and the profound impact on our health — including a disproportionate burden on Black families. As you’ll read, Carlos Carter, head of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, and his team tackle this disparity head on.Q: Carlos, the Urban League has been at the forefront of addressing food security and related supports. Would you share some of that history?Carlos: Hunger and housing stability go hand in hand, so we’ve always operated an emergency food pantry (a pantry of last resort) that serves Allegheny County. Because of our location in downtown Pittsburgh, we can provide low-maintenance food products for unhoused people, as well as hygiene kits, diapers, and baby formula.For many years, we’ve handled the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/food stamp) outreach in Beaver, Butler, Lawrence, Greene, Mercer and Washington Counties. The program works with community gardens in Homewood, with additional assistance from United Health Care, Presbyterian Senior Care, Bethesda Boy Scouts, Bidwell, and Giant Eagle. Together, we’ve executed an intergenerational gardening and healthy eating and cooking program. At Westinghouse High School, we established an in-school snack cupboard and monthly food deliveries for families whose children attend the school.Each...