A new initiative aims to provide free meals to voters at polling stations in food insecure communities during early voting and on election day.
Feed the Polls has partnered with A Well-Fed World to fund the distribution of up to 10,000 exclusively plant-based meals on November 3. Voters facing food insecurity will receive priority.
Vegan advocate and author of The Sexual Politics of Meat Carol J. Adams has backed the initiative. She is already organizing to distribute plant-based meals in both San Antonio and Dallas, Texas.
The initiative involves other cities such as Miami, Philadelphia, and Phoenix.
Food insecurity
More than 35 million people in the United States struggled with hunger in 2019, the USDA reports. In 2020, more than 50 million people may experience food insecurity due to the ‘effects of the coronavirus pandemic’.
Feeding America states households with children are ‘more likely’ to experience food insecurity.
‘Low income and minority voters’
In a statement sent to Plant Based News, Feed the Polls said: “Between COVID-19 and years-long efforts to disenfranchise low income and minority voters… polling lines in November are expected to be longer than ever before.
“Early voting across the country has already proven that to be true… Our goal is to distribute 50,000 healthy meals across polling locations around the country. Food insecurity should never prevent someone from voting.”
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