Founded in 1880, named after a railroad conductor Pop.: 1,338 Average income: $42,695 Poverty Rate: 23.1% 48.5% White, 37.1% Hispanic Industries: Manufacturing (39.1%), Retail (18.2%), Education (12.7%) 5 churches (1 bilingual) 1 Dollar General 1 Farm Center USDA Definition: “access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Four types: High food security: no reported indications of food access problems or limitations Marginal food security: one or two reported indications Low food security: reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Very low food security: Reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake

1. Starving Nation
Food Insecurity in rural America
Aaron Hill
CRP275

2. Welcome to
Purdy
- Founded in 1880, named after a
railroad conductor
- Pop.: 1,338
- Average income: $42,695
- Poverty Rate: 23.1%
- 48.5% White, 37.1% Hispanic
- Industries: Manufacturing
(39.1%), Retail (18.2%),
Education (12.7%)
- 5 churches (1 bilingual)
- 1 Dollar General
- 1 Farm Center
Credit: Bill Miller

3. What is Food
Insecurity?
- USDA Definition: “access by all people at all times to
enough food for an active, healthy life.”
- Four types:
- High food security: no reported indications of
food access problems or limitations
- Marginal food security: one or two reported
indications
- Low food security: reports of reduced quality,
variety, or desirability of diet.
- Very low food security: Reports of multiple
indications of disrupted eating patterns and
reduced food intake
- Left: USDA Pandemic Food
Box (credit: Monett
Community Outreach)
- Below: Boxes of food for
distribution in the Cassville
Pantry (credit: Cassville
Pantry)

4. The origins of Food
Insecurity in America
- Food Insecurity began in the early 20th century
- America was mostly agrarian until the 1920’s
- Traditional communal lifestyles meant the
vulnerable were mostly cared for
- The Great Depression created modern insecurity:
despite overproduction, starvation became more
common
- Government involvement was prevalent during the
Depression, but receded since then to the present,
with a revolving door of programs
- The 1990’s saw a major increase in food insecurity
- Since 2000, food insecurity has hovered between
10% and 12%

5. Prevalence and distribution
- Food Desert: Areas without ready access to fresh,
healthy, affordable food. (10 miles in rural areas, 1 mile
in urban areas)
- Food Swamp: Areas where cheap, unhealthy food (such
as fast food) are the most common.
- Both are associated with poverty rates of 20% or greater
- In both, common foods are more expensive. Cereal can
be 25% more expensive, and milk 5%
- Food deserts and food swamps are most common in
black and hispanic neighborhoods in cities and rural
America, in particular the rural South
- The most impacted populations are: Veterans, the
disabled, African-Americans, children, single-parent
households, seniors
- Rural areas tend to be more food insecure than urban
areas, with about 15% of rural households being food
insecure

6. Food Insecurity
in Purdy
Q: About how much of the community do you regularly serve, and who do you believe is the most vulnerable?
“Monett is app. 8000 people, which we serve about 10% between the pantry and kitchen.” - Melissa Priest
“That population of our entire county would compare to the size of other Missouri towns such as Jefferson City, Cape
Girardeau, or Oakville. Although Cassville itself has a population of 3,300 people we are reaching out to serve the same number
of people similar to the population of a medium size city. The difference is that the residents we serve are spread out over the
entire county which expands to over 790 square miles overall. The most vulnerable are the homeless population. The next most
vulnerable groups would include the unemployed and those who do not have access to reliable transportation. Every month
Cassville Panty distributes an average of 550 to 575 food boxes to families comprised of 1,200 – 1,450 individuals.” - Janett
Mills
Left: Food pantry
volunteers welcome
and load food into
cars of community
members. (credit:
Cassville Pantry)

7. Causes of Food
Insecurity
Q: What do you believe is the cause of food insecurity in Barry county?
“We have several industries in Monett but wages are low, so even with 2 incomes in a family, it’s hard to make ends
meet.” - Melissa Priest
“In my opinion, widespread generational poverty is the major source of Barry county food insecurity. In addition,
economically challenged individuals living on fixed incomes in retirement or due to disability have no options available
to improve their circumstances. Another major cause of food insecurity is the predominant infiltration of the meth
drug culture and its consequences upon the disintegration of family units.” - Janett Mills
Left:
Volunteers at
the Cassville
Pantry prepare
food for
distribution at
a food pantry
drive through.
(credit:
Cassville
Pantry)

8. Online Resources
for individual study
- Food Insecurity in the US by the Numbers, NPR -
https://www.npr.org/2020/09/27/912486921/food-
insecurity-in-the-u-s-by-the-numbers
- Key Statistics and Graphs, USDA Economic Research
Service - https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-
nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-
statistics-graphics.aspx
- Health Equity Series December 2015: Food Insecurity,
Missouri Foundation for Health - http://mffh.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/04/Health-Equity-Series-Food-
Insecurity.pdf
Above: A meal served at the Monett Community Kitchen and
Food Pantry (credit: Monett Community Outreach

9. What we face
- Continuing issues:
- Lack of institutional
support
- Lack of resources
(financial, legal, space)
- Unreliable/unpredictable
community support
- New issues:
- Increasing need
- Lack of volunteers
- Increased expenses
Above: Community members wait in line in their cars in front
of the Cassville Pantry warehouse, waiting to pick up food
(credit: Cassville Pantry)

10. What we have
- Every community has unique
resources and values
- Resources in Purdy:
- A large church network
- An ideal environment to
grow food
- Many individuals with
experience in agriculture,
along with related
equipment
- A large FFA community
Above: Volunteers prepare to distribute food boxes in the Cassville
Pantry Warehouse (credit: Cassville Pantry)

11. What we can do
- Potential programs and solutions:
- Creation and integration of a
Community Kitchen into the
Barry County network
- Creation of one or more
community-managed gardens
for fresh produce
- Cooperation with local
churches and the school
district; educational programs
and service projects
- Cooperation with Purdy City
gov., Barry county gov., and
regional NGOs for financial,
food, and legal support.
Left and Below: Volunteers
in Columbia, MO, tending to
beds in the main garden of
the Community Garden
Coalition. (credit:
Community Garden
Coalition)

12. Conclusion

13. A Special Thanks to...
- Melissa Priest, director of Monett Community Outreach
- https://www.facebook.com/MonettFoodPantry/
- Kimberly Scritchfield, director of the Monett Community Garden
- monettcommunitygarden@gmail.com
- Janet Mills, director of the Cassville Food Pantry
- https://www.facebook.com/cassville.pantry/
- https://www.cassvillepantry.com/

14. Citations and Resources
- Bill Miller, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59924726
- Data USA. Purdy, MO. Data USA. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/purdy-mo/#economy.
- Calendar, Cindy and Ryan Barker. 2015. “Food Insecurity.” Health Equity Series, (December, 2015)
- Mills, J. (2021, March 4). Personal Communication [Email Interview].
- O’Brian, Doug, Halley Aldeen, Stephanie Uchima, and Erinn Staley. 2004. “HUNGER IN AMERICA: The Definitions, Scope, Causes, History
and Status of the Problem of Hunger in the United States.” America’s Second Harvest – Public Policy & Research Department.
- Priest, M. (2021, February 25). Personal Communication [Email Interview].
- Scritchfield, K. (2021, March 2). Personal Communication [Email Interview].
- Silva, Christianna. “Food Insecurity In The U.S. By The Numbers.” NPR, NPR, 27 Sept. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/09/27/912486921/food-
insecurity-in-the-u-s-by-the-numbers.
- USDA Economic Research Service. Key Statistics & Graphics. USDA ERS - Key Statistics & Graphics.
https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics.aspx.