Food insecurity affects nearly 1 in 5 Southeast Missouri residents, report finds
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
SIKESTON, Mo., (KBSI) — Nearly one in five Southeast Missouri residents experienced food insecurity in 2024, according to new data from Feeding America.
The annual Map the Meal Gap report estimates 69,210 people in the region lacked consistent access to enough food, up from 63,790 a year earlier. The total includes more than 20,680 children, or more than one in four children in the region.
Southeast Missouri’s food insecurity rate reached 19.5%, compared with Missouri’s statewide rate of 16%.
“These numbers confirm what we’re seeing every day: More children, seniors and working families are struggling to put food on the table,” Southeast Missouri Food Bank President and CEO Joey Keys said.
The report found 45.3% of food-insecure residents in Southeast Missouri have incomes above the eligibility threshold for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
Rural communities face some of the region’s greatest challenges. Wayne, Carter and Pemiscot counties rank among the 100 U.S. counties with the highest food insecurity rates, according to the report. Missouri’s six counties with the highest rates are within the food bank’s 16-county service area.
Rates across the service area range from 26% in Wayne County to 14.1% in Ste. Genevieve County.
Transportation and limited access to grocery stores also create barriers in rural areas. Some residents must travel 20 to 30 minutes to buy groceries, according to the food bank.
The study estimates food-insecure residents in Southeast Missouri need an additional $20.41 per person each week to afford enough food. That amounts to a regional annual food budget shortfall of about $42.9 million.
“No one organization can solve hunger alone,” Keys said. “But together, with volunteers, donors, farmers, businesses, schools and community partners, we can ensure every neighbor has reliable access to nutritious food.”
Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study provides county-level estimates of food insecurity, meal costs and food budget shortfalls across the United States. County-level data are available at FeedingAmerica.org/MaptheMealGap.
