SOUTHEAST Mo. (KFVS) – A growing number of people in southeast Missouri don’t have enough food on the table.
According to a new report from Feeding America, more than 69,000 people in southeast Missouri faced hunger in 2024.
That’s up from nearly 64,000 the year before.
The report also shows 1 in 4 children in the region face food insecurity.
According to the report, three counties in the Southeast Missouri Food Bank service area are in the top 100 most food insecure counties nationally:
Wayne County – #53Carter County – #64Pemiscot County – #87
You can see the hunger rates for all 16 counties served by SEMO Food Bank below.
AreaOverall food insecurityFood insecure populationState food insecurity ranking*Food insecure childrenState child hunger ranking*SEMO Food Bank19.5%69,210–25.5%–Missouri16%997,750–20.6%–Bollinger County17.2%1,8206420.6%77Butler County23.1%9,690629.2%8Cape Girardeau County16.3%13,4707819.2%91Carter County25.4%1,350237.4%1Dunklin County23.6%6,490432.3%5Madison County18.9%2,4004027.1%15Mississippi County22.7%2,700833.6%4New Madrid County20.5%3,2202020.7%7Pemiscot County24.8%3,710335.3%2Perry County16.5%3,1207619.8%87Reynolds County22%1,3201125.7%28Ripley County23.4%2,510526.4%20Scott County16.7%6,3207223.2%50Ste. Genevieve County14.1%2,63010518.7%94Stoddard County19.8%5,6402925.3%31Wayne County26%2,820134.2%3
*Ranking out of 114 counties in Missouri and City of St. Louis
The study estimated that those experiencing food insecurity in southeast Missouri would need $20.41 more per week per person to afford enough food.
According to the report, this creates an estimated annual food budget shortfall of near $42.9 million across the region.
The study also found that 45.3 percent of people experiencing food insecurity in southeast Missouri have incomes above the SNAP eligibility threshold.
You can click here to see the map showing food insecurity rates.
You can click here for more information on SEMO Food Bank.
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