Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said there is more the government can do to help deal with the food insecurity issues in Buffalo and Western New York.
She wants families to receive more money for food and make sure more families are eligible to get those dollars.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.
As summer approaches, the issue becomes even more of a concern. Children will not be in school to receive a nutritious breakfast and lunch.
In Buffalo, on the east side, where there was one main grocery store, Tops, that is now closed due to a mass shooting on May 14, the plan is to re-open the store with a brand new look on Jefferson Avenue.
2 On Your Side's Claudine Ewing asked Sen. Gillibrand if she thinks more than one supermarket is needed in a food desert.
"I agree with you and I think we should be calling on all the different supermarket chains to consider putting a new supermarket in our community and I will do that, I will make calls to all those supermarket chains to see if we can get one more to come here," she said.
Alex Wright, founder of the African Heritage Food Co-op said, "The real investment and sustainable investment is in the people who are here. Buffalo has everything it needs except the resources."
According to Hunger and Health, "There is no single face of food insecurity, as it impacts every community in the United States."
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