SIKESTON, MO - September is Hunger Action Month for food banks under Feeding America, and the Southeast Missouri Food Bank is kicking it off on the first of the month.Ìý
The food bank, located in Sikeston, is having a food distribution Sept. 1 to commemorated the start of Hunger Action Month.
â€�It just gives us a way to focus our message," Southeast Missouri Food Bank Donor Relations Manager Heather Collier said.ÌýÌý"°Õ³ó±ð°ù±ðÌýare 200 food banks that make up Feeding America, and we’re all in our own little bubble sometimes. This is a way to highlight the need across the country and really focus the message that food shouldn’t be an impossible choice."
The theme for the month is "Impossible Choices". The goal is to highlight how many people have to choose between paying for a prescription, rent or utilities over paying for food.Ìý
With rising inflation and food prices, food insecurity has risen in southeast Missouri.Ìý
â€�Food insecurity is high in southeast Missouri," Collier said.ÌýÌý"Our food bank covers 16 counties, and in those 16 counties, five are in the top ten most food insecure in the state, and three are in the top 100 in the country.Ìýâ€�Ìý
According to Feeding America, one in every six families, one in every five children and one in every eight senior citizens don't have the means to by adequate meals. That has only become more apparent as prices rise.Ìý
The Southeast Missouri Food Bank serves 70,000 individuals each month. They started to see those numbers rise.Ìý
â€�Over the summer, we have seen an additional thousand families per month at our food pantries," Collier said.Ìý "A lot of them have the same story, they haven't needed help before, they’re just barely able to cover rent and utilities."
The mobile food distribution at the food bank will be from 10 � 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 1.
'Go Orange' is set for Sept. 23, Hunger Action Day. SEMO Food Bank isÌýencouraging individuals and businesses to wear orange, the color of hunger awareness, and post their photos to social media, tagging the food bank.Ìý
