Food Insecurity

Food Insecurity in Our Community: 'The Pandemic Really Exacerbated That Problem'

Joanne Nelson is the Director of the Boone County Community Services Department,and Lindsey Lopez is the President and CEO of The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri.

They spoke with host Janet Saidi about the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic on food insecurity in our community and about just a few of the resources that exist.

This is an excerpt from KBIA’s weekly talk show, the Check-In with Janet Saidi, on Thursday, February 25. You can hear the full show – here.

If you or anyone you know needs help – per the Boone County Department of Community Service:

“To find help with things like food, childcare, assistance paying household bills, medicine, healthcare, mental health services, or other essential services, please use our local guide to health and human services CoMoResources.

Or, contact United Way 2-1-1. It’s FREE and CONFIDENTIAL. Specialists are available 24/7. Dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-427-4626 (TTY 1-866-385-6525)”

Meals on Wheels of Columbia: 'Loneliness is Just as Fatal as a Pandemic'

JoNetta Weaver is the executive director of Meals on Wheels of Columbia. She spoke about how the organization continues to offer hot meals to people in need, and about how they’ve had to tackle another health crisis during the ongoing pandemic – loneliness in the senior community.

Columbia Neighborhood Lunch Clubs: 'How Do You Get Food Into as Many Homes as Possible?'

Jennifer Roberts is one of the organizers of the Columbia Neighborhood Lunch Clubs – a group of volunteers that collects the meals delivered to bus stops by Columbia Public Schools and delivers them door-to-door.

She spoke about how many families – from all economic backgrounds – are struggling with food access during the ongoing pandemic and how they all can utilize the Clubs’ services and make providing meals to school age kids a simpler task.

This piece was reported and produced by Chris Mitchell.

'Regardless of What You Were Incarcerated For, You Should Be Able to Eat'

Melanie Hickcox and Bree Broadus work together here in Mid-Missouri. Melanie is the SNAP Project Manager for Feeding Missouri and Bree is the SNAP Outreach Coordinator for The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri.

They both work to provide access to SNAP benefits, otherwise known as food stamps to inmates getting ready to reenter society – even helping people with paperwork and applications before they’re released.

They spoke about why food stamp access is so important – especially among this vulnerable population.

'People Who are Food Insecure Hide it From Their Own Kids. Their Family. Their Neighbors.'

In this excerpt from KBIA’s Intersection, Melanie Hickcox and Monica Palmer with Feeding Missouri, a coalition of Missouri food banks, discuss the stereotypes and stigmas surrounding food insecurity.

'You Have to Make a Choice. Take Your Sick Kid to the Doctor or Buy Food'

Melanie Hickcox and Monica Palmer both work at Feeding Missouri, a coalition of Missouri food banks. Melanie is the SNAP project manager, and Monica is the communications manager.

During the partial government shutdown in January, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP or food stamp benefits, distributed February benefits at the end of the month in January.