Vulnerabilities to Food Insecurity: Interconnected Risks and Assets for Coping Among Low-Income Men

Objective: A consideration of low-income men’s social, economic, and environmental contexts reveals potential vulnerabilities to food insecurity, yet their experiences of food insecurity have not been well documented. As such, this paper explores the risks and assets for food insecurity as described by a sample of 30 low-income men. Method: Data were collected through in-depth semistructured interviews that took place in 11 Department of Social Services offices in five geograph-ically diverse Maryland counties. We used thematic analysis to analyze the data. Findings: Participants reported experiencing multiple, co-occurring, and accumulat-ing hardships that interfered with meeting basic needs and accessing food. Risks included health problems, limited employment, lack of transportation, and housing problems. Assets for coping included financial management skills, relationships, and public and private community assistance, particularly SNAP. Conclusions: Findings indicate that although policies and programs targeting one area of hardship may help meet immediate needs, they do not address the interconnected root causes and consequences of poverty. Policies and programs should support and leverage existing assets of low-income men to amplify programmatic benefits.