Forrest County organizations fighting food insecurities

*Provided by Roy Howard Community Journalism Center from Southern Miss by reporter Morgan Gill

For the second year in a row, Mississippi families who rely on summer food assistance will have to find other resources.

The state chose not to opt into the federal SUN Bucks program, which could have provided millions in food aid.

As summer approaches, food banks and pantries are bracing for increased demand. Food insecurity remains a pressing issue in Mississippi – one of the hungriest states in the nation.

Feeding America reports nearly one in five Mississippians don’t have enough to eat… and one in four children face hunger daily.

Mary McMichael is an office manager for Petal Children’s Task force – a group that does offers food assistance to less fortunate families. She sees first-hand how those statistics connect to real people.

“We tell everybody it’s feast or famine,” said McMichael. “We never know what we’re going to have or when we’re going to have it.”

With summer around the corner, food banks are seeing increased demand.

Frances Nixon – a social worker and case manager at the Salvation Army – says families are feeling the strain…

That struggle is highlighted now – for the second year in a row – now that Mississippi has declined the federal SUN Bucks program — cutting the state out of 38-million dollars in food assistance.

“We see that the food prices have increased and it is hard for families to purchase food,” said Nixon. “What I have seen, especially with families with children, they’re struggling in trying to make sure that their children are eating.”

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declined to opt into the SUN Bucks program, saying he opposed expanding federal welfare programs.

However, state officials cited a lack of resources as the reason for not implementing the program. As food banks work to bridge the gap, donations and support from local organizations are critical.

“I do my best to shop for food and in odd places, anywhere that I can find them,” said McMichael. “I search sales papers, we have warehouses that we go to, but we cannot buy the food if we don’t have the donations, we have to have money.”