Hunger Blog

Mississippi Church Hosts Mobile Distribution for the First Time

LAFAYETTE CO. Miss. - New Hope M.B. Church hosted its first mobile pantry in Oxford, Mississippi in an effort to give back to the community they serve. Pastor Willie Ervin says it was important for his congregation to focus on the needs of the community. Pastor Ervin also volunteers at Mid-South Food Bank’s Perkins warehouse. Feeding America says the Projected Overall Food Insecurity Rate for 2021 in Lafayette County is 16.2%. "This is a good thing for me and my family and...

High School Student Fights Period Poverty in Haywood County

HAYWOOD COUNTY, TN - A Haywood High School junior is making a significant difference in west Tennessee. Hailey Cunningham, 17, told us there weren't any resources available for students that received their period for the first time.  "I didn't have them when I was in middle school... it was something that I needed," Cunningham said.  The student gathered bags, pads, tampons, and pamphlets to create 'period kits' for students at Haywood Middle School....

West Memphis families receive assistance at Arkansas Mobile Pantry

WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. -- Many families across the Mid-South suffer from food insecurity. Our Mobile Pantry Program is a quick way for us to directly feed hundreds of people without needing storage. Families started lining up hours before the food distribution began. Our donors make it possible for us to purchase food to pass out. We found Mary and Stanley waiting in their van to receive assistance during the Mobile Pantry distribution. The couple says they depend on this program to survive. ...

Fighting Hunger in Crittenden County, Arkansas

WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. – Crittenden County, Arkansas is just a short drive over the river from Mid-South Food Bank’s home office in Shelby County, Tennessee. The drive is short, but the food insecurity rate makes a big leap from 15% in Shelby County to 19.3% in Crittenden. According to research from Feeding America, more than 9,400 people in Crittenden county face food insecurity. This means they lack access to enough nutritious food to live a healthy and active life. Good Neighbo...

Seniors in South Memphis get food assistance from Food Bank

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Neighbors of the Ruth Tate Senior Center in South Memphis gathered to receive fresh produce distributed by one of Mid-South Food Bank’s partner agencies. R.D. Miller and Mack Hill were standing outside of their cars, waiting as volunteers assembled bags for them to take home. R.D. and Mack said they come to the Ruth Tate Center twice a week to receive meals. During the pandemic, the Nutrition on Wheels program, or NOW, is more important than ever before. &ldquo...

Capleville Community Food Pantry fights food insecurity for 10 years

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Mid-South has one of the highest food insecurity rates in the country with more than 400,000 children, families, and seniors not always having enough food to eat. Erv Walker leads the Capleville Community Pantry in Memphis and says he enjoys helping folks in need but it’s a bitter-sweet service. Established in 2011, the pantry has grown over the years, Erv says that it’s unfortunate, because that means the food insecurity rate is also growing in his nei...

MLGW feeds local families in need while easing the burden of utility bills

MEMPHIS, TN – Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) is helping Mid-South Food Bank feed the need by providing meals for local struggling families. The utility company is sponsoring a rope for participants to rappel the First Horizon building in Downtown Memphis during Food Bank’s upcoming event, Heights For Hunger. Each participant will have an experience of a lifetime while also providing 3,000 nutritious meals for local children, families, and seniors in need. Just one rappeler ...

Reaching Rural Communities with Mobile Food Pantries

TUNICA CO., Miss – Mid-South Food Bank fights hunger in 31 counties across Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. A long line of families started forming hours before the scheduled Mobile Pantry began in Tunica County, Mississippi. All of them waiting on the much-needed groceries provided by the Food Bank. Tunica County, like the majority of counties served by Mid-South Food Bank, is a rural community. Poverty and hunger insecurity are worse in rural areas than in urban communities, acc...

Food Pantry in Memphis Benefits from Freezer Donation From Conagra Brands

The COVID-19 pandemic made it hard for many Mid-South families to purchase enough food. Businesses stepped up to help Mid-South Food Bank eliminate hunger and help those that needed it most. Conagra Brands donated more than 20 freezers to help our Partner Agencies preserve food. According to Feeding America, 12.1% of individuals living in urban communities face food insecurity. Mid-South Food Bank’s Partner Agency, Greater Harvest, is located within an urban community in Memphis. Grea...

Mississippi Company Gives Back to Celebrate Juneteenth

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – A local organization helped feed our hungry neighbors as a way to celebrate Juneteenth. ABLE, also known as African and Black Leadership for Excellence, is an organization within medical device company Zimmer Biomet in Southaven, Mississippi. Zwanardo Landfair, the leader of ABLE and lead supervisor at Zimmer Biomet, partnered with Mid-South Food Bank to host a Kid-Friendly Mobile Pantry. These distributions include foods that children can make without adult supervis...