SEMO Food Bank says many hungry families face tough choices

Officials of Southeast Missouri Food Bank, based in Sikeston, Missouri, and soon to open an 18,500-square-foot satellite facility in Jackson, are out with key findings from a recently issued statewide report on hunger, titled "Food Assistance and Hunger in the Heartland 2021: State Report for Missouri."

In the region served by SEMO Food Bank, the following key points were highlighted in a Wednesday news release.

• 33% of food insecure households reported having to choose between paying for food and paying for utility payments.
• 28% facing hunger had to choose between food and medicine or medical care.

"The data from this study, conducted a year ago, reflects what many of our neighbors experience every day," said Joey Keys, chief executive officer of SEMO Food Bank.

"Inflation, food shortages, and rising food and transportation costs this year have made those challenges even more difficult for families and individuals facing hunger."

Keys said SEMO Food Bank, which reportedly serves 70,000 individuals each month, is spending roughly three times more on food acquisition and distribution compared to pre-pandemic rates.

"Many new challenges have arisen over the last few years," Keys said. "The data from this study will help us as we work to find the most effective ways to improve food security in our region."

Research informing the overall study was conducted by University of Missouri social scientists, compiling statistics from all six regional food banks, including SEMO Food Bank, to gauge the statewide impact of hunger.

The 16 counties served by SEMO Food Bank are Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne.