Southeast Missouri Food Bank serving 80,000 monthly, annual report says

Southeast Missouri Food Bank, in its newly-released 2022 Annual Report, said it served approximately 10,000 more people a month last year than in 2021 for a total of 12.8 million meals served through its 140 pantries.

"Seniors on fixed incomes and working families found their dollar didn't go as far and had to make tough choices when it came to purchasing food, making rent or paying bills," said Joey Keys, Food Bank CEO. "I'm proud that with the support of our donors, we were able to meet that (additional) need."

Food insecurity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as "a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life."

The most insecure county in the 16-county SEMO Food Bank region last year was Ripley County in the Ozarks at 21.7%.

Others passing the 20% threshold were Wayne County at 21.1%, and two counties — Pemiscot and Dunklin — in the Missouri Bootheel at 20.9% and 20.1%, respectively.

At the other end of the spectrum, Perry, Ste. Genevieve and Cape Girardeau counties were ranked as most food secure in 2022 at 10.8%, 11.9% and 13.1%, respectively.

New program

Keys announced SEMO Food Bank will begin rolling out a prescription produce box program later in 2023 thanks to a grant.

The program will be executed, he said, in partnership with SoutheastHEALTH and John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

The initiative is modeled after the Food Bank's existing Veterans Healthy Food Surplus Program, providing vets with nutritious food on a monthly basis.

Statistics from the annual report show the veterans program has shown success, with 88% of participants showing evidence of improved health in 2021.

SEMO Food Bank, headquartered in Sikeston, Missouri, opened a new 18,500-square-foot satellite warehouse in January on the site of the former Sappington Pro Outdoor at 4530 E. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson.

Southeast Missouri Food Bank's 16 counties are Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne.

The Food Bank's complete 2022 Annual Report is online at www.semofoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2022-Annual-Report.pdf.