September is Hunger Action Month, according to Sarah Garner, chief advancement officer for the Southeast Missouri Food Bank and Poplar Bluff Mayor Steve Davis.
Hunger Action Day will be recognized on Sept. 23, according to Garner, adding those wishing to show support are encouraged to wear the color orange to raise awareness about the growing issue of food insecurity.
“Food insecurity doesn’t mean people don’t have food, it’s that they don’t have enough food. With the rising costs of things, people often have to sacrifice, which is why these programs are so important,” stressed Garner.
Davis has issued a proclamation recognizing Hunger Action Month, which reads, “The City Council of the City of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, is pleased to recognize those events which bring credit upon the community; hunger and poverty are issues of vital concern in Southeast Missouri, where 17% of people face hunger in Missouri and one in every five children do not know where their next meal will come from — The city of Poplar Bluff is committed to taking steps to combat hunger in every part of our community and to provide additional resources that those in our community need.”
There are more than 38 million people, including 12 million children, according to the USDA, that are food insecure in the United States.
Every community is home to struggling residents and families facing hunger, with rural and low income areas hit especially hard, according to officials. In Butler County alone, according to data published by the Southeast Missouri Food Bank, nearly 20% of the county’s residents are experiencing food insecurity. Of that, over 25% are children. That number equates to well over 8,000 people in just one county.
Even though families may be struggling with the issue of food insecurity, many households do not qualify for federal nutrition programs due to strict income guidelines, leaving many in need to rely on the assistance of area food banks and churches, officials said.
“I had to start going to the food pantry or I would have starved out,” said one retired Poplar Bluff resident who asked not to be named. “I am on a fixed income and it is getting really tough to budget with everything going up so much. I couldn’t even keep my cable television.”
There are 16 Southeast Missouri counties served by the Southeast Missouri Food Bank. They provide food to 140 area pantries, shelters and soup kitchens, as well as providing mobile food distributions, monthly food boxes to eligible seniors and weekend backpacks of food to 1,200 students in 30 school districts.
“We do 5,300 of the senior boxes every month,” said Garner.
“On a side note, during COVID, when we were unable to do the food distribution, they called in the National Guard, that is how important these senior boxes are,” she explained.
Anyone interested in helping can make a tax-deductible contribution, donate food or volunteer their time with the SEMO Food Bank or other local non-profit organizations such as The Bread Shed, The United Gospel Rescue Mission, area churches or your local senior center. Visit SEMOFoodBank.org for more information or locations for food distribution in your area.