No one should go hungrey in a nation as affluent as the United States but nearly 17 percent of Missourians reported being food insecure, meaning at least once last year, in most cases several times, they skipped meals for lack of money. That’s the fifth-highest percentage in the nation.
The USDA defines food insecurity as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” Among other issues, food 
insecurity is associated with lower nutrient intake; lower intake of fruits and vegetables; increased risk of chronic diseases; and poorer overall health. Overweight, obesity, and diabetes are also higher among those who are food insecure.
• 382,070 people are food insecure and missing an estimated 67.6 million meals annually.
• 15.3 percent of people in our region, or one in seven, is food insecure.
• 38 percent of the food insecure population does not qualify for federal nutrition programs such as SNAP/food stamps, WIC or free and reduced-price school meals. When they need food assistance, they turn to local nonprofit agencies and local assistance programs. These people are typically above 185 percent of the poverty level, or $44,123 for a family of four.
Children are often among those most in need of food.
• 127,190 children are food insecure.
• 20 percent of children under age 18 in our region, or one in five, is food insecure.
• 38 percent of the food insecure children live in households that do not qualify for federal nutrition programs and often must rely on charitable food assistance programs.
In 2014, food banks in Missouri distributed over 122 million pounds of food to nearly 1,500 food pantries, shelters, and kitchens.
Lets make 2015 the year we FEED KANSAS CITY ONE CAN AT A TIME!
