Diabetic Charitable Meals Needed for Many Seniors & Others in Cook County, Illinois

Download free maps that detail high need areas

In today’s uncertain environment, the rising cost of food and the difficulty of getting to the grocery store create a high-stress situation for many people living with diabetes. This is especially true for seniors in Cook County, Illinois, the second most populous county in the United States.

In 2023, our team developed new data, maps, and recruitment strategies for a healthcare provider to better understand these challenges and respond with solutions. We are now making many of these maps publicly available to help communities, nonprofits, and everyday residents take action.

Why Food Insecurity Hits Diabetic Seniors Hard

Seniors managing diabetes face unique nutritional needs, but many also struggle with limited income, health complications, or social isolation. Not all have family members who can provide daily support, and some are simply too proud to ask for help. The result is missed meals and diets that make health management more difficult.

What the Data and Maps Reveal about Cook County

Our new maps provide a detailed look at the places where seniors and others are missing meals. These maps also highlight overlapping challenges, such as households without a car, low net worth, and concentrations of children, which increase the barriers to food security.

These tools are designed to be more than just data points. They are a resource for local action and planning.

Barriers Seniors Face in Accessing Nutritious Food

Some seniors live near grocery stores but cannot afford to buy the food they need. Others may live farther away and lack reliable transportation. In many cases, they rely on charitable meals or meal delivery services, but resources are stretched thin.

As Mari Gallagher notes:
“We hope these maps are a community resource for solving missed meals. Each one of us can do something […] even simple gestures like sharing prepared meals with neighbors who not only need the food but could use a little company.”

How Communities Can Help Close the Gap

There are simple but powerful ways to use this data:

• Share the maps with local leaders and organizations.
• Support or volunteer with meal delivery and pantry programs.
• Encourage community kitchens to prepare diabetic-friendly meals.
• Reach out to neighbors who may be struggling with both hunger and isolation.

Download Free Maps and Join the Effort

Food insecurity among seniors, especially those living with diabetes, remains an urgent challenge in Cook County. With better data, we can better direct resources where they are needed most.

Download the free maps here and consider how you, as an individual, organization, or policymaker, can be part of the solution.

Together, we can help ensure that seniors in Cook County and beyond are not left behind when it comes to accessing healthy, life-sustaining meals.

Who is Mari Gallagher?

Mari Gallagher, founder and principal of Mari Gallagher Research & Consulting Group, is a nationally recognized expert in food access, grocery market analysis, hyperlocal data modeling, and community health impacts. She popularized the term “food desert,” helped motivate billions in federal investment into underserved areas, and continues to shape public policy and on-the-ground programs nationwide.