Can you imagine choosing between buying groceries or medicine? Skipping a meal so your children can eat? 

This is the reality for thousands of Delawareans. 

Thanks to your donation, the Food Bank of Delaware is able to purchase and provide nutritious food to families facing food insecurity. 

Your donation will help us get much-needed meals to Delawareans in need. Our buying power is great, and with every $1 donated, we can provide THREE meals to Delawareans in need!

Some tough facts to consider:

Feeding America’s 2026 Map the Meal Gap study was released in July, and the data paints a troubling picture: hunger is increasing in Delaware.

1 in 7 Delawareans—more than 157,000 people—are food insecure, up from 13% just one year ago. The study also revealed that approximately 50.8% of people experiencing food insecurity in Delaware had incomes too high to qualify for federal nutrition assistance, leaving them without a vital bridge to maintain stability.

The numbers are even more alarming for some of our neighbors:

• 1 in 5 Delaware children are food insecure.
• 1 in 4 Black Delawareans experience food insecurity.
• 1 in 5 Hispanic Delawareans experience food insecurity.
• 1 in 8 older Delawareans (50-59 years of age) are food insecure.

Our neighbors are making impossible choices between food, housing, fuel, healthcare, and other basic necessities.

Food-insecure children are 2x more likely to be hospitalized and have higher rates of asthma and developmental delays.

Families with Children: 1 in 6 households with children under 18 were food insecure.

Schools: 30% of public schools report increased demand for free/reduced lunch, with some districts seeing 20% of students go hungry on weekends.

60% of food-insecure households have at least one working adult.

Cash is Critical: 70% of families say they had to choose between food and rent, utilities, or medicine. 1 in 10 children is hungry, affecting their ability to learn and grow.

Elevated grocery prices remain the top driver; families report less room in budgets even with steady jobs.

Rapid population growth in DE has increased the number of residents needing assistance.

Rental and childcare costs have compounded food budget shortfalls.

Inflation Impact: Food at home prices remain 3–5% higher than pre-pandemic levels, with protein and produce being the most expensive categories.

Supply Chain: Food banks are seeing shortages of fresh produce due to labor strikes and climate-related crop failures in 2025–2026.
Volunteerism: Volunteer hours for food banks have dropped 10% in 2026, increasing operational costs.

2026 Feeding America Study Findings

Sources: USDA ERS, Food Security in the U.S. 2025 Report Feeding America, Map the Meal Gap 2026 Data Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS) Food Security, 2026 USDA, Summer EBT Expansion Report 2026 CDC, Food Insecurity and Child Health Outcomes Feeding America, Annual Impact Report 2026