Poverty & Hunger in Rural vs. Urban America

According to the US Census, rural America makes up 97% of the land mass of our nation. From these areas come vital national resources, including food and energy products. With its seeming abundance, it’s ironic, then, that food insecurity and poverty here tend to outpace urban poverty.

When you think about under-resourced communities in America, most likely your mind swells with images of densely populated cities. Statistically, though, rates of poverty are higher in small towns than that in metropolitan areas. While poverty exists in all communities, there are unique challenges to combating rural hunger and poverty.

In this blog post, you will discover challenges related to rural poverty, how these create a desperate need for tailored hunger intervention, and how Feed the Need Missions is responding to these unique rural needs.

What Causes Increased Poverty & Hunger in Rural Areas?

Rural communities make up 87% of the counties with the highest rates of overall food insecurity. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of consistent access to enough food to sustain a healthy, active life. Also, childhood poverty is much higher in rural areas than in urban cities. What makes these communities particularly vulnerable?

According to PBS, a few common challenges of rural communities include:

• Employed individuals make less money
• Rural areas are not experiencing increased job opportunities
• Disabilities are more common in rural areas

Another important consideration is the lack of convenient access to goods, services, programs and resources that bigger cities enjoy. In small towns, residences, businesses, and yes, grocery stores, tend to be more spread out and sparse. Twenty percent of rural counties in the United States are considered “rural food deserts,” which means a minimum of ten miles must be travelled to reach the nearest market or grocery store, whereas, in urban areas, food deserts are classified for those who need travel only a mile.

How Can We Reduce Rural Poverty & Hunger?

What is becoming evident is that many hard-working families in these rural communities simply cannot reach the life-sustaining resources they need on a consistent basis. Successful intervention must involve bringing the food and resources directly to the community on a regular basis. This is precisely what Feed the Need Missions, a Bastrop, Texas based nonprofit organization, endeavors to do.

Feed the Need Missions harnesses and empowers volunteers, businesses and churches in rural communities to come together to serve and support site locations in their own communities. Currently, we serve nine unique site locations in North and Central Texas, and we are poised for continued expansion throughout Texas and beyond.

These site locations utilize trailers equipped with food and meal prep supplies each week to prepare and serve hot meals to anyone who drives or walks up, free of charge. There is also ample opportunity for much needed bridge building to community resources, emotional support and spiritual guidance for guests. Additional efforts include an annual Gobble Kits campaign, which provides free Thanksgiving Dinner kits (complete with turkeys) to families who sign up in advance.

Help Feed Children & Families in Rural Communities

A simple donation of $20 per month allows Feed the Need Missions to serve 10 people in these communities. When you commit to giving monthly, you are not only providing people in our communities with a meal they can rely on, you are giving them opportunities to learn about the hope and love of Christ. Join us as we bring relief to hardworking families and children in these rural communities. Visit our website to learn more and donate today.

Put the GIVING in Thanksgiving Dinner This Year

Famed English poet Wiliam Blake once wrote, “The thankful recipient bears a plentiful harvest.”

As holiday hustle and bustle begin to surface once again, our minds and to-do lists are already filling up with meal planning, travel arrangements and decor inspiration. But let’s not forget that Thanksgiving is also a wonderful opportunity to show gratitude by blessing those around us.

Challenges in the wake of COVID-19 have made 2020 a particularly difficult year for many. If there was ever a time to emphasize the giving in your family’s Thanksgiving plans, this is it. Feed the Need Missions’ annual Thanksgiving Gobble Kits campaign provides area families in need with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with all the fixin’s. If you’re looking for a safe, simple and family-friendly way to give back, we’d love to partner with you!

How Can I Provide Thanksgiving Dinner to a Family in Need?

There are three ways to get involved:

1. Give.

A donation of just $25 provides a full Thanksgiving meal to a family of four to six. You can donate directly, and our team of volunteers will purchase supplies and assemble the meal kits on your behalf. You can also pick up a shopping list at one of our local supply pick-up locations, fill your bag with groceries and even a personalized note, and drop them off. Visit our Gobble Kits page for details and donation locations.

2. Serve.

If you are looking for a family-friendly volunteer opportunity, and are located near one of our distribution sites, we would love to invite you to join us as we hand out these meals to families in the community. You can also join us for Gobble Kit assembly day. To receive updates and join our volunteer team, email our Vice President Jason Bray.

3. Pray.

Prayer fuels everything we do at Feed the Need Missions. Whatever capacity you decide to partner with us this year, we hope you will join us in prayer. We believe that many will be fed not only physically, but also spiritually as they see the love of Christ in action this Thanksgiving. We ask that you pray for the immediate and eternal needs of these families to be met through our mission.

Thanksgiving 2020 Gobble Kit Collections Are Now Underway

We are already busy making preparations for this year’s Gobble Kit giveaway. For more information, visit our Gobble Kits page. Here, you can donate directly, find our shopping list or locate a place to come and serve.

Since COVID-19 pandemic began, we have faced the challenge of figuring out how to continue serving in our communities. Safety has been a priority and our team at Feed the Need Missions has been working around the clock to make sure no one in our community gets left behind.

Zulma and her kids are just one of the families we have been able to serve each week. “Both of my kids are in Head Start and my youngest daughter has really bad asthma and she gets very sick easily. I lost both of my jobs and income because of no one working,” she told us. “You guys have been a resource for my family in helping us get through this.”

The need is even greater during this time with job losses and children out of school. That’s why we are asking if you are able too, can you commit to giving monthly?