Phoenix (STN) – Food insecurity is often framed as a social challenge. During the February episode of ‘It Happens at STN,’ leaders on the ‘Wellness Collective‘ stage made it clear that it is also a healthcare crisis, an economic strain, and a growing threat to community stability across Arizona.
The conversation brought together Tad Gary, CEO of Mercy Care, Terri Shoemaker of the Arizona Food Bank Network, and Chris Bodnar of United Food Bank to examine what is driving hunger and what it will take to reverse it.
Gary emphasized that food insecurity is one of the strongest predictors of poor health outcomes. “It’s not just about hunger,” he said. “Food insecurity drives emergency room visits, disrupts treatment, and makes it harder for families to work, learn, and stay healthy.”
WATCH: When healthcare and food banks unite to fight hunger
While food banks play a critical role in the safety net, Gary noted they were never designed to carry the burden of chronic food insecurity on their own. Long-term solutions, he said, must address affordability, access, and prevention alongside emergency response.
Shoemaker underscored how severe the situation has become. More than 800,000 Arizonans now rely on food banks each month, she said, calling it “the worst it’s ever been in modern history.”
Changes to SNAP benefits, rising food costs, and sustained demand have pushed food banks far beyond their original emergency role. “People eat multiple times a day,” Shoemaker said. “Food banks were never meant to be a long-term solution.”
Bodnar explained how United Food Bank moves food through a complex system of federal support, retail recovery, and agency partnerships, all backed by volunteers and data-driven logistics. Mobile food distributions allow the organization to respond quickly to crises, whether caused by wildfires, flooding, or sudden benefit disruptions.
The segment concluded with a tangible moment of action. Mercy Care announced a $250,000 investment to fund mobile food pantry programs in Globe and Payson, expanding United Food Bank’s ability to reach rural and high-need communities.
“This funding will allow us to put food on trucks, staff mobile units, and get resources directly to families who need them,” Bodnar said.
