food insecurity

For the past four years, a federal program has given Missouri farmers and hungry families a boost by putting locally grown, fresh food on their tables. But the recently canceled Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement won't provide that help this year.

The number of women over 40 having babies is increasing nationwide, even as the overall birth rate declines. Plus, a nonprofit food distributor created its own free marketplace to tackle hunger across the country.

A federal judge ruled last year Missouri’s food aid system was “overwhelmed,” had wrongly denied assistance to applicants, and had caused many to go hungry. A new bill signed by President Trump will cut SNAP funding and add work requirements, which will likely worsen the problems.

Every year just before the holidays, Scouting America troops across the country collect food items for local pantries, right off our front porches. It’s an effort started 40 years ago from here in Missouri.

Scouting for Food became a national Scouting America program in 1988, expanding across the country as thousands of scouts collectively gathered hundreds of thousands of pounds of shelf-stable goods for food insecure residents in their local communities.

Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, KCUR's Up To Date broadcasted from Harvesters Community Food Network in Kansas City to hear how the organization is managing a time of extremely high demand.

Joey Thomas has been sponsoring a turkey giveaway for almost 20 years. But he says this year feels different. Low-income families and businesses are all struggling with higher prices, a long federal shutdown and smaller, delayed SNAP benefits.

Researchers surveyed low-wage workers and found many report administrative burdens in signing up and keeping vital Medicaid and SNAP coverage.

As the Kansas City metro faces rising food insecurity due to reduced SNAP benefits, ongoing economic strains, and heightened demand during the holiday season, NourishKC is making sure people can get the resources they need with dignity.

Kansas City area school districts are connecting families with food, clothing and other resources after the federal shutdown exacerbated their financial strain.

Refugees and asylum grantees are among those who can no longer qualify for federal nutrition support until five years after obtaining green cards, because of new restrictions in President Trump's budget bill.

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history appears to be near an end. But weeks without paychecks and cuts to SNAP benefits put many Kansas Citians in desperate situations — and turning to local support systems like food pantries, mental health services and utility assistance programs.