WATCH NOW: Many in America are still hungry, but federal legislation could help combat the problems | Business News

People are hungry and facing different levels of food insecurity in the Richmond region and across the country, and a Virginia congressman hopes to help change that.

“My legislation would create incentives for companies and nonprofits to help build, improve, operate grocery stores, farmers markets and food banks in underserved areas that have limited access to fresh foods,” U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin, D-4th, said Thursday during a news conference to promote his legislation.

The proposed Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act would allow nonprofits and other businesses such as grocery stores and food banks to qualify for tax credit or grant money for servicing communities facing food insecurity. The legislation was introduced in February by McEachin and Rep. Tim Ryan from Ohio.

More access to food is a necessity, said Joel Berg, the CEO of Hunger Free America, a nonprofit dedicated to helping solve the food insecurity crisis.

“Here in Virginia, according to research by Hunger Free America, before the pandemic, one in 10 Virginians, one in eight Virginia kids, one in 12 Virginia working people and one in 20 of Virginia’s seniors couldn’t afford enough food,” Berg said during the news conference, held at The Market @ 25th in Church Hill.

This year, many more Virginians are facing hunger and dealing with more food insecurity, Berg said. “Just one seven-day period in June, according to the Census Bureau, 501,000 Virginians didn’t have enough food,” he said. Virginia has a population of about 8.6 million people.