2019 Missouri Hunger Atlas Shows Food Security Remains a Critical Issue
The latest edition of the Missouri Hunger Atlas, published by the Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security, reports the number of Missourians facing food insecurity has dropped to pre-Great Recessions levels. It is estimated that 865,000 Missourians are food insecure, a decline from three years ago when the issue affected 1 million Missourians. Still, access to…
Webinars, One-on-One Assistance, and More for Food Pantries
With an eye toward helping food pantries build a stronger foundation and address the many challenges of people who use their services, the Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security Power Up Your Pantry program has grown to include webinars, one-on-one technical assistance, and more through a new grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health. Starting January…
The Summer Hunger Gap in Missouri
School might be out for the summer, but that doesn’t mean childhood hunger takes a vacation. For most kids, summertime is associated with fun in the sun, family vacations, and outdoor activities. However, for the nearly 500,000 Missouri children approved to receive free or reduced priced lunches during the school year, finding a wholesome lunch…
Rural Poverty and Well-Being
When it comes to poverty, people in rural counties continue to fare worse than their city neighbors. This somber news stems from the recent USDA Economic Research Service Rural Poverty & Well-being assessment. The research shows that the nonmetro poverty rate is roughly 3 percentage points higher than the metropolitan rate. Other features of the report…
Commentary: Hunger in the World’s Most-Productive Food System
A guest commentary by Interdisciplinary Center for Food Security colleagues Mary Hendrickson and Bill McKelvey was recently featured in the Kansas City Star. It appeared in conjunction with a November 9, 2017 American Public Square discussion titled Bad Choices. No Choices. Food Insecurity, held on the University of Missouri Kansas City campus. In the commentary, Hendrickson and McKelvey…
A New Direction in Food Banking
A recent article on NPR's The Salt blog highlights the work of Foodlink, a regional food bank in Rochester, NY, and their efforts to both alleviate poverty and provide healthier foods. Given investments the food bank made in food processing, in July 2014 they began purchasing apples from local farmers and then selling them washed,…
‘Food Policy is Health Policy’ Summit
How we produce and consume food has a bigger impact on American’s well-being than any other human activity. With that in mind, MU's Center for Health Policy and Missouri Council for Activity and Nutrition are teaming up to host the 15th Annual Missouri Healthy Policy Summit: Setting the Table for Success. Set for October 26-27…
Garden Smarter with The Garden Starter
A new Grow Well Missouri publication, The Garden Starter, covers the basics of gardening from seed to table. With tips on building, tending, and making the most of your garden, this booklet will help new gardeners feel more comfortable as they get started and give returning gardeners something new to think about. The Garden Starter…
Food Banks Becoming a Force for Change
Work of the Community Food Centres Canada is pointing the way for food banks and pantries interested doing more to improve health, build community, and address the root causes of hunger. A new publication, Beyond the Emergency: How to evolve your food bank into a force for change, shares advice, practical tips, and case studies to support…
Emergency Food, Gardening, and Nutrition Education
A new publication by the Michigan Fitness Foundation titled Emergency Food, Gardening, and Nutrition Education: A Survey of Michigan Food Pantries highlights new findings from a statewide survey of emergency food providers. The report explores the opportunities and barriers faced by emergency food providers related to providing more fresh fruits and vegetables. It also gauges the willingness of providers…