Cocoa Packs in Hershey sees growing demand amid government shutdown – WGAL

Report on Increased Food Insecurity in Hershey, PA, and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Cocoa Packs food pantry in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is experiencing a significant increase in demand for its services. This surge is attributed to economic instability caused by a government shutdown and a pause on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The situation underscores a critical local challenge in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2: Zero Hunger) and highlights the vital role of community organizations in providing a social safety net. The organization’s efforts directly support several SDGs by addressing food security, poverty, and health, facilitated by strong community partnerships.

Analysis of Causal Factors and Impact on SDG 1 (No Poverty)

The growing lines at the food pantry are a direct consequence of increased economic hardship, a key concern of SDG 1 (No Poverty). The primary factors contributing to this trend include:

• Government Shutdown: The shutdown has created widespread financial uncertainty for families, making it difficult to afford basic necessities like food.
• Suspension of SNAP Benefits: The pause in government food assistance has removed a critical support system for low-income households, pushing them further into food and economic insecurity.

These factors exacerbate poverty by straining household budgets and forcing families to seek emergency food aid, demonstrating a localized setback in the progress toward eradicating poverty in all its forms.

Cocoa Packs’ Direct Contribution to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)

Cocoa Packs’ core mission is to ensure local children have food security, directly aligning with the targets of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). The organization’s operational growth and impact are significant:

1. Mission Focus: The primary goal is to provide reliable access to nutritious food for children, a vulnerable demographic central to SDG 2.
2. Operational Scale: The pantry operates a weekly drive-thru distribution, with volunteers working extended hours from early morning to evening to meet the rising demand.
3. Exponential Growth: Since its inception in 2015, the program has grown from serving approximately 90 children to over 1,500, indicating a persistent and growing need within the community.
4. Expanding Geographic Reach: The service is not limited to Hershey, with beneficiaries traveling from surrounding communities such as Carlisle, Halifax, and Lancaster, highlighting the regional scope of food insecurity.

Broader Implications for SDGs 3 and 10

The work of Cocoa Packs has wider implications for other Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): By providing consistent access to food, the organization helps mitigate the negative health consequences of hunger and malnutrition in children, which is fundamental for healthy development and well-being.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Economic shocks like government shutdowns and benefit suspensions disproportionately affect low-income families. Food pantries like Cocoa Packs play a crucial role in reducing this immediate inequality by providing essential resources to those most in need.

The Role of Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration (SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals)

The response to this crisis exemplifies the importance of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The success of Cocoa Packs is built on a foundation of collaboration:

• Non-Profit Partnership: Cocoa Packs relies on the Central PA Food Bank for its supply chain, demonstrating a critical partnership between local and regional non-profit organizations to maximize impact.
• Media and Community Engagement: Local news outlet WGAL has partnered with the Central PA Food Bank for the “Hunger Can’t Wait Campaign,” using its platform to raise awareness and mobilize community support and resources. This cross-sector collaboration is essential for scaling up local efforts to achieve the SDGs.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed

The article highlights issues that are directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals. The primary focus is on hunger and food security, but this is linked to underlying poverty and the community-based partnerships formed to address the crisis.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The entire text revolves around the issue of food insecurity, with phrases like “families not knowing where their next meal is coming from” and the food pantry’s goal “to make sure that local children have food security.” The work of Cocoa Packs and the Central PA Food Bank directly aims to end hunger in their community.

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The need for food pantries is a direct symptom of poverty. The article mentions that the “pause on SNAP benefits” is making it “harder for families,” indicating that these families are in a vulnerable economic situation where they rely on government assistance to meet basic needs. The government shutdown exacerbates this poverty, pushing more people to seek help.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article explicitly describes collaborations to tackle the problem. It mentions that “WGAL is teaming up with the Central PA Food Bank for the ‘Hunger Can’t Wait Campaign.'” Furthermore, it states that “Cocoa Packs relies on the Central PA Food Bank to support community members.” This demonstrates a multi-stakeholder partnership involving media (WGAL), non-profits (Central PA Food Bank), and community volunteer groups (Cocoa Packs) working together.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Based on the article’s content, several specific targets under the identified SDGs can be pinpointed.

1. Target 2.1: End hunger and ensure access to food

   The article directly addresses this target, which aims to “end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations… to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.” The efforts of Cocoa Packs to provide food to over 1,500 children and families facing uncertainty due to the government shutdown and SNAP benefit pauses are a clear action towards achieving this target at a local level.

2. Target 1.3: Implement social protection systems

   This target calls for the implementation of “nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all.” The article’s reference to the “pause on SNAP benefits” highlights the critical role of such systems. The increased demand at the food pantry demonstrates the consequences when these social protection floors are disrupted, reinforcing the importance of this target.

3. Target 17.17: Encourage effective partnerships

   This target aims to “encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.” The article provides a textbook example of this through the collaboration between WGAL (a private media company) and the Central PA Food Bank (a civil society organization) for the “Hunger Can’t Wait Campaign.” This partnership leverages media reach to generate support for food security initiatives.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

The article mentions or implies several indicators that can be used to measure the scale of the problem and the progress towards the identified targets.

• Indicator for Target 2.1: Number of people requiring food assistance

  The article provides specific data that serves as a direct indicator of growing food insecurity. It states that Cocoa Packs started by “serving around 90 children, and now they serve over 1500.” This dramatic increase is a quantifiable measure of the growing need and the scale of the food pantry’s response.

• Indicator for Target 2.1: Anecdotal evidence of increased demand

  The article reports that “lines at food pantries have been longer than usual” and that volunteers are “staying later in the evening to make sure everyone is served.” While not a formal statistic, this serves as a qualitative indicator of heightened demand for food assistance, reflecting a worsening situation of food insecurity in the community.

• Indicator for Target 1.3: Reliance on social protection systems

  The article implies an indicator by linking the increased demand for food aid directly to the “pause on SNAP benefits.” This connection shows the number of people vulnerable to disruptions in social safety nets and can be used to measure the coverage and effectiveness of such programs.

• Indicator for Target 17.17: Formation of multi-stakeholder partnerships

  The existence of the partnership between WGAL and the Central PA Food Bank for the “Hunger Can’t Wait Campaign” is itself an indicator. It demonstrates that different sectors of society are collaborating to address a common challenge, which is the goal of Target 17.17.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: wgal.com