Food security is one of six priority areas identified in the 2022 Snohomish County Community Health Assessment.
Access to healthy food is important for overall health. Food insecurity is when there is “a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life.” Barriers to getting enough food, as well as nutritious food, are damaging to health and can complicate someone’s ability to afford other necessities. Food insecure children are at increased risk of unmet healthcare needs and acute or chronic illnesses such as asthma.
The Healthy People 2030 goal aims to reduce food insecurity to 6 percent of households. Though food insecurity in Snohomish County has been trending downward in recent years, 1 in every 11 people (or about 9 percent) are still food insecure locally.