The following is an excerpt from an article posted in the April in 2020:
Poverty, hunger, and access to quality health care are large enough problems to deal with during seemingly normal times.
In the wake of the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic, those social issues are significantly magnified, as it inadvertently spotlights the systemic or endemic inequities that exist in some of America’s communities. Birmingham, like many other cities with diverse populations, is no exception.
Thus, it is essential during this anxiety-filled period that all sectors of our society–government, the private sector, nonprofit organizations, faith communities, academia, among others — pull together and collectively find solutions.
Islamic Relief USA, a humanitarian and advocacy organization, has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Birmingham Islamic Society. The grant will help the center administer its social services in the wake of Covid-19 to assist more people (regardless of their faith) in obtaining things like food parcels and hygiene kits.
Both of those items speak to the larger issues of food security and public health. In Birmingham, along with other parts of Alabama, there’s still some progress needed in these, and other, issues stemming from poverty.
A 2018 report found Alabama to be the sixth poorest state in the nation, with some 800,000 residents living below the poverty level. The state’s food insecurity rate stood at 17.7 percent.
In Birmingham, the rates are even higher. The portion of the city’s population living below the poverty rate is a staggering 28.1 percent. A 2012 report from the Alabama Poverty Project found that Birmingham had a 21.3 percent “food hardship” rate. With Covid-19, those rates are likely to increase.
One indicator of the state’s and city’s food hardship is the number of students receiving subsidized (free or reduced-price) lunches. In Alabama, some 50 percent of pupils are eligible for free breakfast or lunch. In Birmingham, all city school students have been eligible for free meals since the 2017-18 school year.
In Birmingham, the rates are even higher. The portion of the city’s population living below the poverty rate is a staggering 28.1 percent. A 2012 report from the Alabama Poverty Project found that Birmingham had a 21.3 percent “food hardship” rate. With Covid-19, those rates are likely to increase.
One indicator of the state’s and city’s food hardship is the number of students receiving subsidized (free or reduced-price) lunches. In Alabama, some 50 percent of pupils are eligible for free breakfast or lunch. In Birmingham, all city school students have been eligible for free meals since the 2017-18 school year.
The obesity rate is just one of the things that underscores the need for a strong public health infrastructure, as it can help prevent future illnesses. Among the services that public health departments provide are cancer screenings and immunizations, which in the aftermath of Covid-19 have only increased in importance.
However, last September, the Alabama Department of Public Health called for millions of dollars in cuts for various county health departments, due to funding shortfalls. To his credit, the state health officer, wanted to ensure that the most disadvantaged populations, such as Black Belt communities that don’t have viable alternatives, would not be negatively impacted. It remains to be seen what ultimately is decided.
Covid-19 is likely to teach the different pillars of our society a myriad of lessons. But one of the key points it has already shown is the importance of investing and continually supporting quality safety net programs in order to be well-positioned to cope with unpredictable events. We call on all elected officials, regardless of party, to take this into consideration.
Sharif Aly is the chief executive officer of Islamic Relief USA, a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization that works to alleviate poverty and hunger in more than 40 countries. Syed M. Hassan, IRUSA’s communications specialist, contributed to this report.
Read the post on AL.com