Planting a Seed: United States and Florida Response to Coronavirus-19 Pandemic-Related Hunger

Food insecurity and poor nutritional intake as a possible mental health risk factor for children, adolescents and adults are addressed from an ecological perspective in the midst of a global pandemic. During the recent global Coronovirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, approximately 10% of U.S. households reported greater difficulty finding adequate food sources than were experienced prior to the pandemic. In response to food shortages, the U.S. Federal government passed legislation approving state waivers which suspended income verification and eligibility deadlines to expedite food assistance approval process for families during the pandemic. This enabled state flexibility in allocating Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds in response to the COVID-19 crisis. This article describes U.S. COVID-related food insecurity issues, subsequent Federal legislative responses and explores one state’s solutions to pandemic food shortages from an ecological systems theoretical viewpoint with recommendations for further study