SEMO Food Bank annual report reveals more than 12 million families struggled with food insecurity in 2025

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI(KBSI) – The Southeast Missouri Food Bank says the need in the region continues to grow according to a newly released 2025 annual report it shows more and more families are turning for food assistance. 

More than 12 million meals were served to Southeast Missouri families in 2025 by the Southeast Missouri food bank, a large number for a 16-county service area. 

“Missouri really has some of the highest rates of hunger in the state and even the country” says Collier. “We have the five most food insecure counties in the state of Missouri in our 16-county service area.” 

Heather Collier is the Semo Food Bank Communications Manager, and she shares that the 2025 annual report shows that SEMO food bank distributed more than 14 million pounds of food, providing 12.34 million meals through its 16 -county service area. 

“We had a couple of things that happened last year. We had the tornadoes in the spring where we did a lot of disaster, emergency food distributions and then also the disruption to SNAP in the fall. We saw a lot of people who were needing assistance during that period” says Collier.

Collier shares that the increased needs comes from multiple factors, but each year the annual reports show more and more families continue to need assistance from the food bank.

“We have seen an increase, nationwide with food insecurity over the last few years really, as costs have gone up at grocery stores. A lot of people, especially seniors on fixed incomes and families who are working and living paycheck to paycheck, those higher prices have really started to take a toll on them.” 

Collier sharing with increased need comes the need for more funding and resources, to donate or volunteer you can go to the semofoodbank.org

More distribution details:

5,600 senior citizens received monthly food boxes.

· 1,110 students received weekend food support through school partnerships.

· 2.68 million pounds of fresh produce distributed, including donations from local farmers and growers.

· 354 Mobile Food Pantries, each serving an average of 200 families.

· 4,518 volunteers contributed more than 11,370 hours sorting, packing and distributing food.

· Launch of the Just-in-Time Delivery Program, delivering fresh, nutritious food directly to rural communities with limited pantry access.