Spoonfed Blog

by  JACKIE MADER, THE HECHINGER REPORT More than a quarter of families with kids experience food shortages In a 12-month period in 2016-17, more than one of every four Mississippi households with children — 25.8 percent —  lacked enough money to buy the food they needed , according to a new report by the Food Research & Action Center. That rate is the highest of any state in the nation, and over 7 percentage points higher than the 2017 national average. At... Read More

Memphis Athletic Ministries’ work to help children facing fewer community resources be shaped into healthy, fruitful adults is multi-facet. The not-for-profit Christian organization, which touches t he lives of 750 children year-round, offers after-school sports, literacy, counseling and career preparation, and altogether, are critical aspects that fall into a MAM core value of holistic development. Kids who attend any of MAM’s seven area sites are present from about 3 p.m. until... Read More

Vacation sojourns, swim parties and baseball games are predictably on the minds of families when school is out for the summer. But, conversely and sadly, the dog days of summer account for the hardest time of the entire year for many families. Nearly 21.5 million kids in the U.S. are eligible for free or reduced-priced meals, yet according to the Food Research Action Center, only 1 in 6 of them receives that benefit over summer break. In the Mid-South, one in every five children –... Read More

 O n a sunny day in May, Paulette Pegues picks up her mother, Frances Pittman, 80, at her home three blocks away. They make the short drive to the parking lot at Unity Temple C.O.G.I.C. in Jackson, Tenn., where volunteers provide food designed for good health that will last them nearly two weeks.  This Mobile Pantry from Mid-South Food Bank is held at Unity Temple once a month, thanks to sponsorship by United Healthcare. “The food is amazing. It’s a big help, and... Read More

A newly released multi-year study on childhood obesity rates published in Pediatrics  reveals that despite a previous trend shown in studies that the problem was improving, its trajectory has reversed course. In 2015-2016, almost 14 percent of 2- to 5-year-olds were mildly obese. That statistic is up from 9 percent in 2013-2014. While childhood obesity is typically a precursor to long-term health problems, and most commonly diabetes, obesity is often a sign of food insecurity. ... Read More

From wreg.com Kevin Gallagher knows what it`s like to rely on SNAP food benefits. “After a brain tumor, I wasn’t able to work. I had to do that for me and my kids,” he said. He used them to ge t through a tough time, and he’s not alone. According to the Department of Human Services, more than 200,000 people in Shelby County rely on SNAP to afford food. But soon that could change based on President Donald Trump’s latest budget proposal to cut the... Read More

When Boyd Armstrong’s friend needed recovery from a serious automobile accident about three months ago, she mentioned to him how she would be unable to receive monthly food assistance at the local pantry at First United Methodist Church in Baldwyn, Miss. She knew, he intimated, that he could use some help just like her too. “Soon I was able to get help, after I signed up, for me, and I needed it,” he said. “I had got low on food.” Armstrong, who sports... Read More

Food insecurity is a pervasive problem that affects people in every Zip code in the 31 counties served by  Mid-South Food Bank . H unger is entangled with many of our community’s challenges, including poor health, medical costs, and children’s inability to learn. For 36 years, Mid-South Food Bank and our partner agencies have operated with an acute sense of urgency that reflects the immediate needs of children, families and seniors who are hungry and in-need.  ... Read More

Twice a month since 2006, Billy Kelly prepares enough rice and chicken soup in the morning at the Society of St. Vincent DePaul soup kitchen to hand 200 cups of it to visitors looking for a hot meal. The retired military man despises the early alarm clock, but volunteering along with others offers tremendous satisfaction, he insists. “I’ve never left here without being on the highest high,” he said.           The soup, along with an apple, chips,... Read More