This fall record numbers of area families are asking the help of food pantries — at a time when the food supplies at hand are critically low. Meanwhile, the government’s primary anti-hunger program, food stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), faces benefit cuts in coming months. Figures released last month by the U.S. Department of Agriculture revealed that Missouri was the state with the highest level of hunger in the country. In response to this situation, a broad coalition of anti-hunger groups has planned a weeklong series of events from Oct. 11-18 called “St. Louis Hunger Awareness Week.”

“The purpose behind Hunger Awareness Week is first to educate people in our community about the prevalence of hunger in St. Louis and beyond,” said Renee Marver, chair of the Community Against Poverty Coalition and its Hunger Task Force.  

CAP, a coalition of faith-based and civic organizations coordinated by the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis that works to reduce poverty, is one of the sponsoring organizations for the week’s activities.  “Nearly one in six Missourians faced food insecurity in the past year, meaning that meals were missed and individuals had to choose between meeting other basic needs, such as buying medicine or paying rent, and purchasing food,” according to Marver.      

St. Louis Hunger Week activities include the annual CROP Walk to raise funds to combat local and international hunger; lectures by Bread for the World President Rev. David Beckmann; and, a free showing of the documentary “A Place At The Table.” Several of the activities are geared specifically to college and graduate students and will take place on the campus of St. Louis University. 

A full listing of events can be found at communityagainstpoverty.org.  At all events information will be available to participants on how to help struggling families in their neighborhood and across the region.  For more information and to RSVP, contact Gail Wechsler at [email protected] or 314-442-3894.