Solving the Household Food Insecurity Problem in Missouri - Report Example

Shelbi Mootz Rough Draft Paper 3 Mrs. Sokolowski 2/22/14 Solving the Household food insecurity Problem in Missouri Hunger has been a persisting problem in the world and is still steadily increasing. Approximately 936 million people in the world do not have enough food to eat (The World Food Programme n. pag.). During 2000 to 2012 time period, Missouri was one of the ten states which ranked above the national average household food insecurity in the United States (Feeding America n. pag.). The problem of hunger among the poor in Sedalia causes negative socio economic impacts to the community wellbeing. Strengthening the public and private food assistance given to the low-income families is the most effective solution to solve this problem (USDA n. pag.). The current study examines how, the number of food pantries in Sedalia can be increased to reduce the rate of household food insecurity in the region. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines food security is, “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life” (WHO n. pag.). In 2012, the household food security in the United States was eighty five-percentage proportion of the total population (USDA n. pag.). During the year 2000 to 2012 time period, the average household insecurity rate of Missouri rose to seventeen-percentage while the national average of the same was fifteen-percentage proportion of the total population. Moreover, the rate of unemployment which is closely associated with the household food insecurity and poverty is also high in Missouri compared to the other states. Example, in year 2012, the annual average rate of unemployment in Missouri was only marginally below the United States annual average rate which was eight percentage proportion of the population (Feeding America n. pag.). Public and private funded food assistance programmes in the United States help poor, achieving the required nutrient levels. The government funds approximately fifteen major domestic food and nutrition assistance programs. The previous studies show that about seventy-five percentage proportion of the total clients of the Emergency Food Assistance System (EFAS) which, is largely functioning in the private sector, is also food-insecure (Briefel et al. 2003). EFAS serve those people who find the government food assistance insufficient, have immediate needs for food but are unable to meet the administrative or substantive eligibility requirements of the government programs and are reluctant to accept government help (Ohls and Ismail 2002, p. 15). Currently, EFAS consists of five types of organizations which support the direct food providers as briefly discussed below. 1) Food Pantries Food Pantries can be defined as, the “organizations that distribute groceries and other basic sup plies for offsite use, usually for preparation in a recipient’s residence” (Ohls and Ismail 2002, p. 4). Approximately, 32,700 food pantries out which seventy five percentage proportion was run by faith-based agencies affiliated with churches, mosques, synagogues, and other religious organizations were recorded in the Producer Survey conducted by the United States Agriculture Department (USDA) in 2002. These food pantries distribute about 2.9 billion pounds of food or 2,200 million meals per year. The types of food provided by these organizations include canned goods, cereals, rice, bread, fresh fruits and meat. Food is given to anyone in need by some pantries while other pantries have imposed restrictions and guidelines based on the income level and residential location of the recipients. Food pantries and emergency kitchens are operated as individual organizations or as a part of a larger set of services provided to the low-income people example, Open Door Service in Sedalia provides a food pantry to the community and also assist them in shelter, clothing, utilities, transportation, medical and work related matters (Open Door Ministries n.pag.). 2) Emergency Kitchens (soup kitchens) Emergency kitchens are defined as the “organizations that provide prepared meals onsite to recipients who do not reside on the agency’s premises” (Ohls and Ismail 2002, p.2). They provide food and other support services, such as employment assistance, substance abuse counseling, and help in applying for government benefits (Ohls et al., 2002). According to the statistics, approximately 5,300 ongoing emergency kitchens provide more than 173 million meals per year in the United States. For example, “Community Café” is an ongoing emergency kitchen in Sedalia (The Community Café n. pag.). In addition, “Meals on Wheels” programme which operates in all fifty states of the United States provide meals to the senior citizens (Meals on Wheels, n. pag.). 3) Food Banks Food banks are defined as the “wholesalers” in the system. Food banks are private funded regional organizations which obtain food in bulk and then distribute it to the local providers in their area (Global FoodBanking Network n. pag.). In 2002, there were approximately 402 food banks in the US (Ohls and Ismail 2002, p. 4). Currently, ongoing food banks are not found in Sedalia. The nearest food bank to Sedalia, “The Food Bank” is located in Columbia (The Food Bank n. pag.). In Missouri there are six ongoing food banks which assist the poor in every county in the state. Approximately, 95 million pounds of food is distributed by these banks each year (Missouri Food Bank Association n. pag.). 4) Food rescue Organizations These are private funded regional organizations which focus only on obtaining perishable foods, such as contributions and gleanings from farmers and surplus food from restaurants and other commercial food service operations. Both these types of organizations have similar functions (Ohls and Ismail 2002, p.4). 5) Emergency Food Organizations These are defined as “organizations that have a primary purpose other than emergency food distribution but that are designated by the States as official distributors for USDA commodities received by the State” (Ohls and Ismail 2002, p. 5). The overall performance of the public and private food assistance in Sedalia can be increased by expanding the EFAS and increasing the number of food pantries. However, starting and running food pantries is challenging. Previous studies show that majority of the clients are satisfied about the amount and the variety of foods provided by the food pantries in the United States. However, they have reported problems relating to poor transportation and providers running out of food when the clients arriving late (Briefel et al. 2003, p. 7). When starting a food pantry, it is therefore important to choose a suitable location preferably in a metropolitan area which is highly accessible to the most of the clients (Island Harvest n. pag.). Not receiving sufficient amounts of food for distribution during the adverse weather conditions such as prolonged drought, hurricanes and floods is another problem for pantries (Montana Food Bank Network n. pag.). Some government policies can also have significant impacts on operations of the pantries (Sedalia-Pettis County United Way Agencies n. pag). Example: when the government restricts funding for the food stamps program, the number of clients at food pantries and emergency kitchens increase making it difficult for the providers to meet the demand (Kaleb n. pag.). To face these challenges a strong steering committee and reliable sponsors are required (The Food Bank of Corpus Christi n. pag.). For example, in “Open Door” food pantry in Sedalia, Mr. Jack Menges serves as the Executive Director (Open Door Ministries n. pag). The steering committee determines who is hungry in the community, where should the pantry be and who the sponsors are. Possible sponsors for food pantries include the local churches, business, clubs, schools, individuals, and other community organizations (Island Harvest n. pag.). Without the support from enthusiastic local community it is impossible to run a successful food pantry (Open Door Ministries n. pag.) Volunteers in the community usually provide food for the banks and also work in food pantries. However, having a designated coordinator and a steering committee is very important to provide an efficient service to the clients. For example, Mr. Darren White serves as the regional coordinator for the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri In summary, low income individuals and households use a variety of coping strategies for obtaining their required nutrient levels. Majority of the poor are not restricted to public or private one type of food assistance. Not having enough providers in the system is one of the significant limitations of the EFAS in Missouri. Different types of organizations in the EFAS including food pantries, emergency kitchens, food banks, food rescue organizations, and emergency food organizations assist poor in achieving food security. Among them food pantries and emergency kitchens consists a large proportion of the food and nutrient assistance provided by the EFAS. The household food insecurity problem in Sedalia can be solved by increasing the number of successful food pantries in the region. References Briefel, R., Jacobson, J., Clusen, N., Zavitsky, T., Satake, M., Dawson, B., and Cohen R. “The Emergency Food Assistance System—Findings From the Client Survey: Executive Summary.” Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2003. Print. Filis, Kaleb. "Missouri Food Bank and Sedalia Pools Collecting “Buddy Pack” Donations for Pettis County Youth." KSIS Radio 1050 AM NewsSportsWeather. n.p., 18 July 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. “Food Security.” World Health Organization. n.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2014 “Food Security in the U.S.” United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA). n.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2014 "Getting Started." Global FoodBanking Network. The Global FoodBanking Network, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. "Hunger and Poverty Statistics." Feeding America. n.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. "Hunger Statistics." The World Food Programme. n.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2014. “Missouri Food Bank Association.” MFBA. n.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2014. Montana Food Bank Network. N.p.: Montana Food Bank Network, n.d. How to Start a Food Pantry. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. Ohls, J. and Ismail Fazana S. “The Emergency Food Assistance System—Findings From the Provider Survey, Volume I: Executive Summary.” Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2003. Print. “Open Door Ministries.” Sedalia Now. n.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014 "Sedalia-Pettis County United Way Agencies." Sedalia-Pettis County United Way Agencies. n.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. “Sharing Food. Brining Hope.” The Food Bank. n.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. "Starting a Food Pantry." Island Harvest . n.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. "Starting a Food Pantry | The Food Bank of Corpus Christi." The Food Bank of Corpus Christi RSS. n.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. “The 2011 Cafe Banquet”. The Community Café. n.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. Read More