food insecurity

While food prices won’t rise as sharply in 2023, they could still increase about 8% over last year’s rates, according to forecasts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The lawsuit alleges Missouri is wrongly depriving thousands of low-income residents access to food assistance and violating federal SNAP rules. It also argues that the state’s overburdened call center particularly affects those with disabilities.

Pete’s Garden, founded in 2019 by Tamara Weber, partners with caterers, restaurants and food service organizations to save unserved, prepared food that would otherwise be thrown out. Last year, they distributed 65,000 meals to families in Kansas City.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly wants to accelerate the phaseout of the state’s food sales tax. That could have the greatest impact on people with low incomes. But Republican lawmakers may not feel the need to do it.

Missouri’s Ozark Mountains are known for their lush wilderness and popular tourist destinations. But what about the food? Like much of Ozark culture, the cuisine remains deeply misunderstood and shrouded in stereotypes. From deep in the forest to upscale restaurants, these food lovers are preserving the Ozarks' past and charting its future.

Officials previously said the summer emergency food benefits program would be dispersed by the end of the year. Achieving that goal looks increasingly unlikely.

Missouri is one of just seven states that still hasn’t been approved by the federal government to administer summer emergency food benefits, called Pandemic EBT. Officials expect benefits to be dispersed before the end of the year.

Kansas in 2020 settled a lawsuit over the way the state’s foster care system treated children. Has the state lived up to its promises? Plus: A federal program aimed at helping low-income communities access food pays its own employees so little that some workers qualify for food stamps themselves.

Missouri is the only state that chose not to participate in a federal program allowing parents and kids in low-income areas to pick up free meals and take them home — resulting in a dramatic drop in the number of meals distributed to low-income children.

After 20 years with the community food bank and nine years as president and CEO, Valerie Nicholson-Watson is retiring from Harvesters Community Food Network.

Even with schools closed, summer meal sites in the Kansas City area serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, and they may be closer to your home than you think.

The Wyandotte High School students learned from advocates for the homeless before spending the night in tents and makeshift shelters. The students did most of the planning for the event, their teacher said.