Topic: Consumer Centricity

red arrow pointing right

This Week's Episode

Why Food Insecurity Still Exists in America

The United States has more than enough food in aggregate and one of the world’s most sophisticated food systems. Yet food insecurity persists year after year. The reason is not a single failure. It is a set of reinforcing pressures that keep many households one missed paycheck, one medical bill, or one rent increase away from running out of food.

This inaugural episode invites listeners to step back and look honestly at how our food system evolved. From the agricultural breakthroughs that made the United States a global breadbasket, to the birth of food banking as a way to distribute surplus, the system did what it was designed to do. But the world changed—and the conversation didn’t keep up.

Food Secure Nation exists to change that conversation.

red arrow pointing right

About the Episode

This show begins with a simple but uncomfortable truth: food insecurity is something we created—and therefore something we can solve. Not with slogans. Not with blame. But with better thinking, better alignment, and better courage.

In America, 42 million people live with food insecurity. Not because we lack food—we waste nearly 40% of what we produce—but because access, systems, and priorities don’t line up. Hunger is visible. Food insecurity is quieter, more complex, and far more consequential.

Food insecurity touches everything:

  • A child’s ability to learn
  • A parent’s health and mental well-being
  • A worker’s productivity
  • A community’s stability

And yet, we often talk about it as if it’s someone else’s problem—or worse, a personal failure. It’s neither.

This is not a show about charity. It’s about responsibility. Not about guilt, but possibility.

Not about having all the answers but about asking better questions—together.

We believe dignity matters. Nutrition matters. Consistency matters. And solutions only work when they meet people where they are, without judgment. Solving food insecurity isn’t about doing more of the same; it’s about doing the right things, at the right level, with the right partners.

Our commitment is simple: to bring forward the evidence, the voices, the wisdom, and the urgency needed to prove that food insecurity in America can be solved—and to invite anyone who cares about their community, their workforce, their children, or their future to be part of that work.

Because hunger may be loud—but food insecurity is quieter, deeper, and more dangerous.

And when we know better, we can do better. That’s how we build a Food Secure Nation.

red arrow pointing right

Know Better

What the numbers say (recent years)

  • Roughly 12 to 14% of U.S. households (over 15 million households, about 40 million people) have experienced food insecurity in recent years.
  • The rate rose sharply after pandemic-era supports tapered and inflation surged: 10.2% (2021) to 12.8% (2022) to 13.5% (2023).
  • More than half of food-insecure households include a full-time worker, showing this is also a working-family issue.

SNAP participation reduces the likelihood of being food insecure by about 30%, but many eligible households are not enrolled, and benefits can fall short by month-end.

 

What it would mean to solve this

“Solved” means that every person can reliably obtain enough nutritious food in every season and region, including when shocks hit. In practice, that would look like:

  • Food insecurity becomes rare, not cyclical. Rates do not spike with recessions, disasters, or policy rollbacks.
  • Disparities narrow and then disappear. Households with children, single-parent families, and Black, Hispanic, and Native American households are no longer systematically more at risk.
  • Support systems catch people quickly. Short-term hardship does not become long-term instability.

 

Why it persists: a system that reinforces itself

Food insecurity is best understood as a set of linked loops. Low resources reduce food purchasing power. Food insecurity then increases stress and worsens health, which can reduce work capacity and raise expenses, deepening the original problem. Safety net programs counteract this loop, but gaps in access, adequacy, and coordination limit their ability to offset the pressures fully.

The evidence points to a consistent set of persistent barriers:

  • Low income and low wages: Households cut food first when money is tight.
  • High essential expenses: Housing, utilities, transportation, and healthcare costs force trade-offs.
  • Safety net gaps and shortfalls: Under-enrollment, eligibility limits, and benefit adequacy issues persist.
  • Administrative burden and stigma: Complex processes deter enrollment and consistent use.
  • Unequal burden across communities: Rates remain higher among Black, Hispanic, and Native American households.
  • Physical access barriers: Distance and transportation can make affordable, nutritious food harder to reach.
  • Fragmented governance: Programs seem to create gaps and diffuse accountability.

 

What’s changing now and the questions worth watching

Recent years have shown how quickly food insecurity can move when policy and prices change. Several changes are reshaping the landscape:

  • Policy whiplash as a driver: What happens when temporary supports expire, and which supports become durable over time?
  • The post-2021 SNAP benefit baseline is higher due to the Thrifty Food Plan update, but does it keep pace with local costs and end-of-month gaps?
  • Summer nutrition: With Summer EBT beginning in 2024 and more states adopting universal free school meals, will child food hardship stabilize outside the school year?
  • Access is evolving: SNAP online purchasing is now nationwide, but will delivery reach rural areas and households with limited digital access?
  • National ambition meets local execution: The federal goal to end hunger by 2030 is a strong signal, but which actors are accountable for measurable progress and equity in outcomes?

 

Why this matters for the conversation

If food insecurity were only about food supply, it would already be solved. The hard part is the system: income, costs, access, program design, and resilience through shocks. Bring your view of what is most underestimated, what is working, and where the real trade-offs show up in practice.

red arrow pointing right

Additional Resources

Dignity: Why it is important and what we mean when we say we want to improve dignity for the people served by our work.

Dignity refers to the inherent worth and value of every individual. It’s one of the core ethical principles outlined by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), emphasizing that:

  • Every person deserves respect regardless of their background, circumstances, or choices.
  • Cultural and ethnic diversity must be honored, recognizing that dignity looks different across communities.
  • Self-determination is key—clients should be empowered to make their own choices and take control of their lives.
  • Balancing individual and societal needs is part of the role; social workers must navigate tensions between personal rights and broader social responsibilities in a respectful, ethical way.

Ultimately, dignity means treating people not just as clients or cases, but as whole human beings with stories, strengths, and the right to be heard and valued.

Spending time on this issue will help:

  • Program staff – support their ideas/tendencies toward greater dignity even if it costs more.
  • Public relations staff – provide language to tell the whole story of the people we serve.
  • Fund raising staff – deliver compelling case points.
  • Executive leadership – Provide compelling rationale for board members, donors, and team members for investing in activities that provide greater dignity; support organizational values; provide transparency and live by example.
  • Board of Directors – deliver clarity about values
  • Grant reviewers – uphold values common to many grant makers
  • Funders of food security efforts – deliver set of ideas and specific ways to make a difference

 

Values: Curiosity, Integrity
4-part food security scorecard: Access, Utilization, Stability

Why Dignity Works

Builds Trust: People are more likely to engage with services and follow through when they feel respected.

Reduces Trauma: Dignity-centered environments minimize psychological harm, which supports long-term recovery and reintegration.

Encourages Responsibility: Empowering individuals fosters accountability and personal growth.

red arrow pointing right

Do Better

Improving dignity in food distribution isn’t just about what’s given—it’s about how it’s given.

Here are some powerful, research-backed recommendations to help your team elevate the experience for those you serve:

Build Trust Through Relationships

  • Engage personally: Go beyond transactions. Regularly check in with community partners and recipients to understand their evolving needs.
  • Ask, don’t assume: Involve the community in shaping the distribution model. What do they want? What feels respectful to them?

 

Offer Choice and Cultural Relevance

  • Provide options: Let people choose from available foods rather than handing out pre-packed bags. This fosters autonomy and respect.
  • Honor cultural preferences: Include foods that reflect the cultural backgrounds of your recipients. This affirms identity and dignity.

 

Shift from Quantity to Quality

  • Focus on emotional and practical value: Dignity includes how food makes people feel—safe, respected, and cared for—not just how much they receive.
  • Include fresh and familiar items: Fresh produce, recognizable brands, and even occasional comfort foods can make a big difference.

 

Create Welcoming Environments

  • Design with dignity in mind: Set up distribution spaces that feel inviting, not clinical. Avoid long lines or public exposure that may feel stigmatizing.
  • Train volunteers in empathy: A warm greeting and respectful tone go a long way in preserving dignity.

 

Use Data to Serve Better

  • Combine feedback with mapping tools: Use GIS or similar data to identify underserved areas and tailor your outreach accordingly.
  • Track preferences and outcomes: Monitor what foods are most appreciated and adjust your sourcing accordingly.
red arrow pointing right

Start Growing Your Community

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec mauris arcu, interdum sit amet est sit amet, imperdiet dapibus metus. Pellentesque sit amet enim ac mauris tempus dapibus vel a odio. Vestibulum eleifend libero tincidunt magna dignissim, vel laoreet elit dapibus.

Nulla convallis nunc vitae turpis vestibulum, vel accumsan libero feugiat. Pellentesque odio nulla, laoreet in lacinia a, bibendum quis ante. Nulla dignissim neque ac gravida dictum. Pellentesque orci erat, consectetur vitae diam id, sagittis blandit risus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam consequat, dui faucibus vehicula condimentum, enim neque gravida velit, eu mattis ante purus nec ante. Nulla dignissim mattis luctus.

red arrow pointing right

Guest Speakers

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec mauris arcu, interdum sit amet est sit amet, imperdiet dapibus metus. Pellentesque sit amet enim ac mauris tempus dapibus vel a odio. Vestibulum eleifend libero tincidunt magna dignissim, vel laoreet elit dapibus.

Nulla convallis nunc vitae turpis vestibulum, vel accumsan libero feugiat. Pellentesque odio nulla, laoreet in lacinia a, bibendum quis ante. Nulla dignissim neque ac gravida dictum. Pellentesque orci erat, consectetur vitae diam id, sagittis blandit risus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam consequat, dui faucibus vehicula condimentum, enim neque gravida velit, eu mattis ante purus nec ante. Nulla dignissim mattis luctus.

Gerry Brisson

Founding Partner, Changemaker

×

Gerry Brisson

Founding Partner, Changemaker

A strong advocate for the community’s most vulnerable residents, Gerry Brisson has dedicated more than 35 years to improving food security. He believes hunger can be solved, and that addressing it brings greater empowerment and stability to families. Gerry is a founding partner of Know Better Do Better (KBDB), which unites communities and food security leaders to drive the insights and ideas necessary for a future where no one goes hungry. KBDB aims to engage changemakers in food security, chart solutions, and drive progress to the next threshold of impact.

Prior to KBDB, Gerry served as president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan, the state’s largest food bank. Under his leadership, Gleaners was named the Feeding America Food Bank of the Year in 2019 and received the Governor’s Service Award for Health Impact in 2022. Gerry himself has received numerous honors, including the Eleanor Josaitis Unsung Hero Award and the Michigan Association of Broadcasters’ Best in Class Excellence Award.

Gerry created “The Household Impact Model” to illustrate how food security impacts the short- and long-term well-being of our communities. With this mindset, he served as a foundational member of the national Hunger Education Research Committee to develop nutrition standards for the Feeding America network. He also established Gleaners as a national pioneer in addressing the link between food insecurity and health through partnerships with healthcare institutions, government, and corporations.
For nine years, Gerry chaired the board of the Food Bank Council of Michigan, working with executive director Dr. Phil Knight to create a unified food bank network through advocacy and collaboration. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in organizational management and frequently serves as an expert panelist regarding the role of food banks in improving community health outcomes.

Gerry grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on the shores of Lake Superior before moving to Detroit. He and his wife of 23 years, Katie Brisson, live in the area with their four children: Lexie, Nate, Jim, and Ruth.

Ryan Hoyle

Founding Partner, Changemaker

×

Ryan Hoyle

Founding Partner, Changemaker

Ryan Hoyle believes that every young person and every family should have both enough food on the table and a clear path to opportunity. A seasoned business leader and social entrepreneur, he is the co-founder of Know Better Do Better (KBDB), founder of GOALS Professional Services (GPS), and Managing Director of EsperRise. Across these roles, Ryan’s work is focused on one mission: building systems that make food security, education, and work more equitable and attainable.

Ryan launched GPS after 25 years in IT professional services to help mission-driven organizations stabilize operations and scale with intention using his Stabilize-Operationalize-Grow framework. Through EsperRise, he builds on this experience by collaborating with schools and employers to re-engage at-risk students and design inclusive workforce pipelines that connect learning to meaningful, sustainable careers.

KBDB is where Ryan’s most foundational values converge. He believes that in a country where food is plentiful, hunger is a problem we have the responsibility to solve. Together with co-founders Gerry Brisson and Dr. Phil Knight, he helps connect food security leaders and families to accelerate progress toward a future where every neighborhood has the conditions for people to thrive.

His career is marked by extensive board service with organizations such as Gleaners Food Bank and Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit. Ryan led the award-winning “Outsource to Detroit” and “Outsource to America” initiatives and has received numerous honors, including Crain’s “40 Under 40,” DBusiness’ “30 in Their 30s,” and the Michigan Chronicle’s “Men of Excellence.” He is also a graduate of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Leadership Detroit program.

Deeply rooted in service, Ryan is an engaged member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, a mentor to emerging leaders, and a husband and father of three living in Michigan. He brings together his expertise in operations and workforce strategy to advance a simple but ambitious goal: helping communities know better, do better, and create opportunity that lasts.

Dr. Phil Knight

Founding Partner, Changemaker

×

Dr. Phil Knight

Founding Partner, Changemaker

Dr. Phil Knight is driven by an unwavering belief that hunger is a solvable problem — and that solving it requires courage, collaboration, and leadership. He serves as the executive director of the Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM), a statewide organization that strengthens Michigan’s network of food banks and improves access to nutritious food for more than 1.6 million residents each year.

Phil’s commitment to ending hunger began in 1994 through humanitarian work in East Africa, where he helped establish the first schools, medical clinic, and community health centers on the Buvuma Islands of Lake Victoria, Uganda. He still speaks conversational Kiswahili — a reminder of the nine years that shaped his understanding that food is essential but never the whole answer.

Since 2003, his work has spanned conflict resolution, organizational culture, political strategy, fundraising, statewide coalition-building, and international leadership development. A licensed professional counselor in Michigan since 2009, he earned his doctorate in religious science and philosophy and is the author of The Diamond Life, a leadership workbook developed through Gray Knight Consulting, a leadership consulting firm he began in 2008.

Within the Feeding America network, Phil has served at the highest levels, including terms on the National Advisory Council and the Public Engagement Advisory Council. In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed him to chair the state’s first Food Security Council (2020-2022), where his leadership helped stabilize families during the COVID-19 pandemic and shape long-term bipartisan policy solutions.

Phil’s work has been recognized across multiple fields: he received the Governor’s Service Award in 2022 and, with co-host Gerry Brisson, earned multiple Michigan Association of Broadcasters Awards for their radio show “Food First Michigan.” He also previously hosted The Leadership Lowdown on the Michigan Business Network, where he interviewed executives, public leaders, and innovators shaping Michigan’s future.

Away from work, Phil is an avid reader and golfer who enjoys time on the lake in Northern Michigan. But his focus remains on a single mission: helping to build a food-secure Michigan, and ultimately, a food-secure nation.

red arrow pointing right

Additional Resources