Food Desert

Maurice Theriot, Director of Southside Farms, was one of six recipients of the 2026 'Missouri Spark Prize' from the Missouri Foundation for Health. It recognizes his and his organization's work expanding access to fresh, healthy food in South Cape Girardeau, a federally designated 'food desert '- an area with limited access to affordable, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food.

Maurice Theriot, Director of Southside Farms, was one of six recipients of the 2026 'Missouri Spark Prize' from the Missouri Foundation for Health. It recognizes his and his organization's work expanding access to fresh, healthy food in South Cape Girardeau, a federally designated 'food desert '- an area with limited access to affordable, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food.

As national debates heat up over SNAP and school meal cuts, Missouri leaders are stepping in. Born out of the Ferguson movement, A Red Circle has been working since 2017 to fight racial and economic gaps in North St. Louis County, using food, education, wellness, and the arts to uplift the community.

Nestled in the heart of Cape Girardeau, South Side Farms stands as a beacon of hope in a food desert, dedicated to transforming lives through access to fresh, nutritious produce.Founded eight years ago by Jimmy Wilferth, the farm emerged from an encounter with a young student facing hunger during school breaks. This moment ignited a mission to ensure that no one would go hungry in an area where healthy food options were scarce.

Nestled in the heart of Cape Girardeau, South Side Farms stands as a beacon of hope in a food desert, dedicated to transforming lives through access to fresh, nutritious produce.Founded eight years ago by Jimmy Wilferth, the farm emerged from an encounter with a young student facing hunger during school breaks. This moment ignited a mission to ensure that no one would go hungry in an area where healthy food options were scarce.