From urban to rural, young families to older adults, food insecurity touches every corner of Central Virginia.
Many of the neighbors we help are employed, but an unexpected medical bill or car repair can force them to make tough choices between food and rent. For others, factors like age, health and mobility play a big role in what’s in their pantry.
Understanding neighbor need is a never-ending learning journey. So, we’re constantly analyzing economic, state and Central Virginia-specific statistics, and tracking factors like Gross Domestic Product, regional employment and housing costs. This helps us respond to need and get in front of burgeoning demand.
Income alone doesn’t tell the whole story. We pay attention to food prices, for sourcing and as a predictor for neighbor need. And our data tells us that the rising cost of essentials like eggs, milk and produce tracks to a 56% increase in neighbor call volume over time. That’s a strong signal that inflation, especially in food, is a driver of community need.
Grocery prices can be a slow-burning stressor. When prices go up, neighbors may initially cut back, rely on savings or seek help from family before turning to resources like our Help Line. By tracking these costs today, we can better forecast when call volume may increase three to six months from now. That allows for more efficient resource allocation and outreach during high-demand periods.
By taking this approach, we’re responding effectively today and building resilience for tomorrow.
Get hands-on with how much things cost with these easy-to-use simulators.
Grocery Price Index
Using data collected from over 150,000 stores and over 30,000 zip codes, this Datasembly tool measures weekly changes in pricing for grocery products like fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, frozen foods and more.
Elder Index
Want to know what it costs to age in place, at a county level? The University of Massachusetts Boston’s Elder Index shows how much older adults need to meet basic needs like housing, health care, transportation and food.
