Nonprofits partner to address food insecurity

Two local nonprofits are partnering to address food insecurity in Christian and Stone counties.

Least Of These Inc. and Christian Action Ministries plan to expand their mobile food pantry service areas to fill an identified hunger gap, according to a news release.

Least Of These would serve food once a month in Spokane in Christian County, with Christian Action Ministries providing service in Blue Eye, Cape Fair and Hurley in Stone County.

“We know food insecurity is on the rise across southwest Missouri,” said Kristy Carter, executive director at Least Of These, in the release. “Rural hunger often means it’s more difficult or nearly impossible for those in need to access nutritious food. We also know taking on additional mobile service areas will be a strain on our resources, but it is absolutely the right thing to do.”

Both nonprofits are seeking partners and support to meet the needs in Christian and Stone counties.

"We currently serve Taney County at our brick-and-mortar location, as well as through several mobile food pantry sites. Adding three mobile service sites in a new county will mean we need to source additional food and funding, but we have to meet the hunger needs," said Michele Dean, executive director at Christian Action Ministries, in the release.

Christian Action Ministries meets 40,000 individual cases of assistance annually, according to the release, and Least Of These served nearly 1,300 families and almost 4,000 individuals in May this year.