In Columbus, Ohio, as in many parts of the country, food and housing insecurity are urgent issues that disproportionately affect women. These challenges impact women’s physical and mental health, their ability to thrive economically, and their overall well-being. This blog post explores the scope of food and housing insecurity for women in Columbus, the factors contributing to these issues, and how you can help alleviate the problem.
The Scope of Food and Housing Insecurity for Women in Columbus
According to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau and local organizations, nearly 1 in 4 households in Columbus experience food insecurity. Women are more likely to face these struggles due to systemic inequalities. Columbus is home to a diverse population, but a significant portion of women, particularly those in single-parent households, face greater barriers to achieving financial stability.
Food insecurity is often linked to housing insecurity, with women especially vulnerable to losing their homes due to economic hardship, domestic violence, or lack of affordable housing options. In fact, the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) reports a growing demand for affordable housing, with many women and children being pushed into precarious living situations.
Why Women Are Disproportionately Affected
Across races, women are paid less than their male counterparts, both because occupations that are primarily held by women are undervalued and low-paid and because they are regularly paid less for the same type of work. Pay disparity drives poverty, and directly drives child poverty. Female-headed households are more than three times as likely as all Ohio households to live in poverty and having children in the household increases the likelihood of living in poverty by four-fold. Other factors lack of affordable housing, single motherhood and domestic violence.
BSPC Support for Women Facing Insecurity
The Broad Street Food Pantry has been part of the near east side food system since 1971 providing food to an average of 50 families per day. 54% of those families have children in the household and more than 50% of all individuals receiving food are women.
- is a 56 year old woman caring for multiple grandchildren. She visits the Pantry after she finishes her third shift job. Her paycheck doesn’t stretch far enough to pay to pay her bills and keep hungry teenagers well fed so she relies on the Pantry for staples but especially meat, milk, eggs and produce.
COMPASS tries to help anyone who comes to the door. This year so far, the majority of eligible applicants for an application through the City of Columbus’ Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program have been women. Since January 2025, they have accounted for over 60% of our applications each month. Recently a single woman fell on hard times after the death of a partner left her unable to pay her rent. COMPASS was able to complete an ERA application for her, which she was approved for and provide her with additional community resources (including to the pantry). She said she left with a hopeful feeling for the first time in a long time.
How You Can Help
Addressing food and housing insecurity is a community effort. If you’re looking to get involved or support women in need in Columbus, here are a few things you can do:
- Donate to Local Organizations: Consider donating to food banks, shelters, and housing organizations and directly to the agencies doing the work. You can donate to the BSPC Food Pantry and COMPASS here: https://bspc.org/donate/
- Volunteer: The BSPC Pantry is always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, sign up here: https://volunteer.hungerfreeamerica.org/. You can do so as your schedule allows and youth volunteers are welcome, too!
- Advocate for Change: Advocate for policies that support affordable housing and fair wages for women. Supporting initiatives that address systemic issues is critical to creating long-term solutions for food and housing insecurity.
Food and housing insecurity are pressing issues in Columbus, Ohio, and women are particularly vulnerable. The combination of economic challenges, single motherhood, domestic violence, and limited access to affordable housing places women in precarious situations that affect their health and overall well-being. However, local organizations, such as BSPC’s Food Pantry and COMPASS services are working tirelessly to support women and families in need. By getting involved, whether through donations, volunteering, or advocacy, we can all contribute to making a positive impact on the lives of women facing insecurity in our community.
Written by DeAnna Hall, Compass Housing Resource Specialist and Kathy Kelly-Long, Director of the Broad Street Food Pantry.
Thank you for all your work!