A 77-year-old retired woman who lives on Social Security and pays rent says she still finds room in her budget to help homeless people, even as she struggles to feed herself. She described her situation in a letter to MarketWatch's "Moneyist" column, saying she lives "check-to-check."
The woman did not disclose her name, city or exact income in the letter. She wrote that she is a retired senior citizen and asked why so many people are going hungry in the United States.
Her question lands as food insecurity among older adults remains a persistent problem. Roughly 5.5 million Americans age 60 and older faced food insecurity in 2022, according to the latest available federal data. That means they lacked reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food.
Social Security is the main source of income for most retirees. The average monthly retirement benefit was about $1,900 in early 2024, according to the Social Security Administration. For seniors who rent, that check often does not stretch far. Median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the U.S. topped $1,500 in 2024, according to listing site Zumper.
Housing costs eat up a growing share of retiree budgets. The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies reported in 2023 that nearly 11 million older adults were cost-burdened, meaning they spent more than 30 percent of their income on housing.
Food assistance programs reach only a fraction of hungry seniors. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, served about 5 million people age 60 and older in a recent year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported. Advocacy groups say stigma, paperwork and low benefit amounts keep many eligible seniors out.
Charities that serve both homeless and elderly populations say the two groups increasingly overlap. Meals on Wheels, which delivers food to homebound seniors, reported serving more than 2 million older adults annually in recent years. The organization says demand has not slowed since the pandemic.
The woman's letter also points to a broader pattern: low-income seniors giving what they can to others in worse shape. Researchers who study poverty call this "kin and community support," and it often goes uncounted in official statistics.
Her question, "Why are so many people going hungry," has no single answer. Economists point to rising rents, fixed incomes that fail to keep pace with inflation, and a social safety net that many eligible people never access.
For now, the woman says she keeps helping where she can. She did not say how much she gives or to whom. MarketWatch published her letter without identifying details.
