More families struggling with cost of food, No Kid Hungry Florida poll says

Floridians are facing tough choices as they struggle to afford groceries.

The post More families struggling with cost of food, No Kid Hungry Florida poll says appeared first on Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..

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A new poll shows 4 out of 5 Floridians are struggling to afford food as the cost of groceries outpaces their income.

The survey found families are hit hard by the affordability crisis, with about 47% of families surveyed saying they choose between buying nutritious food or paying for gas, a car repair or transportation. About 38% of families say they were forced to decide between making a rent or mortgage payment or feeding their household.

Aspect Strategic conducted the poll on behalf of No Kid Hungry Florida, surveying 1,021 Floridians 18 and up. The survey taken April 14-22 had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.

“I’m alarmed by these results, but I’m not surprised,” said Sky Beard, director of No Kid Hungry Florida.

“The cost of food and essentials remains stubbornly high, and Floridians are really struggling. We continue to hear about tough trade-offs parents are being forced to make, forgoing time with their children to work multiple jobs, or skipping out on medical care to afford enough healthy food. Florida families deserve better.”

About 74% of Republicans, 89% of Independents and 98% of Democrats say they want Florida elected officials to do more to make sure children aren’t going hungry.

Some of the parents surveyed shared personal stories of living paycheck to paycheck as gas and food bills continued to increase.

“We now are in the red every month and using savings to stay afloat,” one St. Lucie dad said.

The news release said 70% said their financial situation has suffered in the past year from food prices while 49% surveyed said they have gone into more debt from food costs, which is a figure similar to last year’s debt findings.

“Over a quarter (27%) have used ‘buy now, pay later’ (BNPL) plans like Afterpay or Klarna to cover the cost of food,” the new release said.

The poll said 57% opposed, and nearly half 47% strongly opposed the SNAP funding cuts coming from the federal government.

“SNAP is overwhelmingly viewed as a solution to bridge the gap for families who cannot afford enough food for their families (75%),” the news release said. “More than 60% believe food assistance programs directly or indirectly benefit Florida’s state economy and local businesses in their area.”