EE: The Impact of COVID-19 on Food

Insecurity: Urban vs. Rural

Wonkyung Lee, Valley High School

- The COVID-19 pandemic held a

wide range on impacts, but it is
undeniable that many
households struggled
economically. In this
exploration, I investigated
factors that may have
contributed to higher food
insecurity rates, and then
compared the severity of these
factors in urban and rural
America.
Source: New York Times, April 30, 2020
Caption: Cars on the Black Horse Pike waited in
line for food distribution in Egg Harbor
Township, N.J.
Research/Analysis:
1. In general, rural areas often
encounter higher levels of food
insecurity than rural areas.
However, this gap has narrowed
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Disruptions within the food chain
affect both producers and
consumers.
Although these results was predicted to some extent,
it is disturbing to hear that families are experiences
unforeseen hunger-related issues from the pandemic.

I am incredibly proud of my work. I intend on pursuing a career that reflects my aspiration of reducing global hunger, and this research has brought me a step closer
to this goal. In my research, I accomplished measuring the economic impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on urban and rural areas in the U.S.A. However, a factor
I failed to take into consideration are the economic situations on the state level. States may have encountered certain circumstances that affected their economy. My
paper was limited to the categories “urban” and “rural.” Nevertheless, I am pleased with the outcome of my research, for it will assist me in future research within
similar topics.