Food insecurity

With food insecurity affecting roughly 13% of Missouri households and food prices rising, many families can’t afford a traditional Thanksgiving meal. One Branson nonprofit is making sure those in need can enjoy a good holiday meal and much-needed companionship

The Missouri Department of Social Services announced Thursday that it will continue to issue partial payments of federal food benefits for November, while updating its systems to resume paying full amounts.

As Thanksgiving approaches, Missouri families are caught in the middle of a national food aid fight. A federal court ruling Friday (11/7) would have forced the Trump administration to pay full SNAP benefits, but the decision was paused following an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Local pantries are scrambling to meet the growing need.

Many Missourians are starting the week without the safety net they’ve relied on to get by – and a new report warns Missouri’s child poverty rate could climb sharply if federal food assistance ends.

On Monday, October 27, we spoke with Heather Collier, the Donor Relations and Communications Manager, about the upcoming 'Empty Bowls' funding events on Fri. Nov. 7, and the looming Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits cut due to the ongoing federal shutdown.

On Monday, October 27, we spoke with Heather Collier, the Donor Relations and Communications Manager, about the upcoming 'Empty Bowls' funding events on Fri. Nov. 7, and the looming Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits cut due to the ongoing federal shutdown.

Food insecurity is on the increase in Missouri, according to the University of Missouri's new 2025 Missouri Hunger Atlas. Released every two to three years, the report maps where need is rising and helps guide efforts to get food to those who need it most.

During a 'Media Roundtable, KRCU Public Radio got to tour the Southeast Missouri Food Bank, which serves 16 Missouri Counties, several of which are in the top twenty most food insecure counties in the state of Missouri. We learned about how Southeast Missouri Food Bank is working to bridge the gap of food insecurity with several extraordinary programs, but relies heavily on the community's support.

Missouri advocates for families say the federal budget "megabill" could make it harder for them to put food on the table. The changes shift more of the administrative costs for SNAP, the federal program formerly known as food stamps, onto the state, and make it harder for some people to qualify for benefits.

The Illinois Department of Education, in partnership with Chapin Hall, released a new interactive trauma tool to help track adversity factors to which children may be exposed in districts across the state that may negatively impact their ability to be successful at school. Experts say they hope the Illinois Children’s Adversity Index encourages collaboration to more effectively allocate resources to districts that need it most.