More than 200 boxes of food are being distributed at a drive-thru event in Jackson. The event is helping seniors in the state's capital city keep food on the table this holiday season.
A large portion of Mississippi is considered a food desert, and in many areas there is little access to healthy food options for families at an affordable rate. Charles Beady is CEO of the Mississippi Food Network, a non-profit organization that distributes to food pantries and grassroots organizations across the state. He says before the pandemic, more than 600 thousand Mississippians would go to bed without knowing where their next meal was coming from.
“The pandemic has only made it worse,” says Beady. “When I came to Mississippi Food Network, we were distributing about 18-20 million pounds of food. Last year we distributed 42.6 million pounds of food. And a lot of that has to do with the fact that the pandemic is leaving more people hungry and food insecure.”
At a drive-thru food giveaway event hosted by several organizations including the Mississippi Food Network, senior residents of Jackson are able to receive healthy meal options such as potatoes and canned goods. In line is Odell Niblett, who says delays in his social security have made finding food more difficult.
“Yeah, you can’t buy just anything you want, you go out to the grocery store and they’ll turn you around,” says Niblett. On having healthy food options, he says “I think it’s good for you. Because for so long we didn’t have healthy food and it’s got a lot of people with physical and mental ailments because of it.”
Also in line is Rosie Nelson of Jackson. She wants to be able to cook for her family during the holidays but says she often doesn’t have the produce she needs.
Nelson says “It means a lot because a lot of times you are tyring to make ends meet, and you might not have the money or resources to get the food that you need, so it means a lot to me today.”
Experts say having access to healthy food can not only help keep food on the table, but can also help those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and other dietary needs.
