U.S. Virgin Islands

Citation:  Gundersen, C., A. Dewey, M. Kato, , A. Crumbaugh & M. Strayer. Map the Meal Gap 2019: A Report on County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2017. Feeding America, 2019.   Together, federal nutrition programs and the charitable food system weave a comprehensive nutrition safety net reaching food insecure individuals at different income levels and in different settings. Child nutrition programs, in particular, play a critical role in providing quality nutritious meals to millions of children every day for free or at a reduced cost. So in addition to developing overall food insecurity estimates for every county and congressional district, Map the Meal Gap also estimates child food insecurity rates in every county and congressional district in every state in the United States. As with counties, it is important to note that no congressional district is free of food insecurity. It is our hope that food banks, partner agencies, policy makers, business leaders, community activists and concerned citizens will use this information to fully engage in the fight against hunger.

Data on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program) participation and costs. Nation-wide and state level program participation counts and recipiency rates; value of benefits issued and other costs. The US Food Stamp/SNAP program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, is the largest food assistance program in the country, reaching more poor individuals over the course of a year than any other public assistance program. Unlike many other public assistance programs, SNAP has few categorical requirements for eligibility, such as the presence of children, elderly, or disabled individuals in a household. As a result, the program offers assistance to a large and diverse population of needy persons, many of whom are not eligible for other forms of assistance.   All data except population estimates originate from USDA Food & Nutrition Service. Sources & notes:For the national-wide totals USDA Food & Nutrition Service national level annual summaries are used. Totals for national level include all states, District of Columbia and island areas, excluding Puerto Rico. Totals for 1975-1982 including Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico initiated Food Stamp operations during FY 1975 and participated through June of FY 1982. A separate Nutrition Assistance Grant began in July 1982.State-level data for 2010-2014 from theUSDA Food & Nutrition Service national level annual summaries. For 2001-2009 - data from USDA SNAP State Activity reports. For the previous years - USDA data from the US Department of Health & Human Services "Welfare Indicators and Risk Factors" annual reports to Congress. Resident population counts are US Census Bureau’s latest estimates; for Guam and Virgin Islands -World Bank Population Estimates & Projections. Totals for United States resident population DOES NOT include Puerto Rico & island areas. Recipiency rates expressed as percentages of total population have been correctly computed using corresponding summary population values