Hogs for Hunger is a program that allows farmers to donate pigs to their local food banks or senior centers for a tax deduction. Since the program began, more than 2.6 million servings of pork have been donated.
Ashley McCarty with Missouri Farmers Care and Denise Damron of the United Way of the Mark Twain area are now working together to expand this program throughout northeast Missouri.
They spoke about their partnership and how it will benefit both farmers and those who are food insecure throughout Missouri.
For the month of May, we're focusing on the health of farmers and farming families.
Ashley McCarty: It's seeds of change that we're planting, you know, using an agricultural analogy, all of this plant seeds of change.
And so, recently, we've really dug in in northeast Missouri. So, we naturally have a lot of pork production in northeast Missouri, and a lot of leaders in Missouri agriculture come from this region of the state.
And they wanted to see the same care and concern they have for their communities to deepen, and so, we've come together in a really unique partnership between local processors, United Way of Northeast Missouri, Missouri Farmers Care and independent hog producers and contractors that want to make sure that the hogs that wouldn't be used to their best use, right? They have a home too.
"This provides an avenue and a way for individuals to have a streamlined process to do something about [food insecurity]."Denise Damron, United Way of the Mark Twain area
Those that may have a blemish or something that makes them not prime market animals, they have a way to give them their best and highest purpose by feeding those in their community.
Denise Damron: And so, for us at United Way, we just are kind of going through this large community health needs assessment, and when we look at quality of life challenges that are impacting individuals within our community – housing and homelessness is one, transportation is two, childcare is three, food insecurity is four.
We have these resources within our backyard, and we also have individuals who care and love their communities and want to do something positive.
Ashley McCarty: Mhmm.
Denise Damron: And this provides an avenue and a way for individuals to have a streamlined process to do something about it, and those are, of course, those hogs, then, are also providing a great service to individuals in our community who are seeking assistance at our food pantries.
And we look at our food pantries, over the past few years, what they are receiving in donations has decreased, and we also know, of course – if you've gone, have you gone grocery shopping lately? Anybody?
Ashley McCarty: Mhmm.
Denise Damron: The cost of food is only increasing.
People are stressed. People are scared.
At United Way we run our community helpline, and so we have individuals calling, and a lot of times people might call requesting, “I can't pay my utility bill because I had to buy groceries for my family.”
Ashley McCarty: Mhmm.
Denise Damron And so, a lot of times, then, if we're able to plug individuals in with the resources they need, such as, “Well, have you gone to your food pantry and gotten food?”
“Well, I can buy food.”
But like, “If you're able to save your dollars then to pay your utility bill because you're not gonna be able to cook that food if your utilities are off.”
And so, a lot of times, we're able to really connect individuals to those resources again and encourage them to utilize what they can to help sustain their livelihood, so individuals live in homes with utilities on. They, you know, have food to feed their families, they aren't evicted.
And so, we are encouraging more people to go to our food pantries to make certain they have what they need for life.
