Joni is a mother of four, with three kids still living at home with her in Saltillo. Sometimes, she’s forced to turn to a food pantry to help ends meet.

Prentiss County students and their families lined up at the bus entrance at Baldwyn Middle School to receive boxes and bags of fresh produce and food during the second in-school food pantry distribution day.

On Monday morning, Families First for Mississippi will hold a stakeholder’s meeting at All Saints’ Episcopal Church to meet with a variety of organizations that provide unique services combating food insecurity in Mississippi.

Jolie Reid sees hungry children every day at her school. “At our school, we have brown bags that go out on the weekends during the school year and the kids know when they need that food,” Reid said.

The Hunger Coalition announced a new partnership and awarded a significant donation at a press conference Wednesday morning.

Mississippi’s ranking as the most food insecure state in the country for the eighth straight year reinforces the incredible need found throughout our state and the reality that the organizations working to combat this issue have a lot of important work ahead of them and need our support.

Ongoing efforts to address food insecurity in Tupelo and Lee County have taken a significant step forward as of late, a sure sign that progress is on the mind of all those working toward this beneficial initiative.

Jason Martin is focused on ending food insecurity in Lee County now more than ever.