Map the Meal Gap is an annual report compiled by Feeding America that provides estimates of local food insecurity and food costs to improve our understanding of people and places facing hunger and inform decisions to help ensure equitable access to nutritious food for all.  

An interactive map can be found at map.feedingamerica.org, where you can look up detailed hunger information by county. 

This year’s report shows, yet again, record high levels of food insecurity in our 27-county region. 

Some Key Findings 

• 1 in 7 (15.1%) neighbors in our service area experience food insecurity, or 420,120 individuals. This is a change from 13.6%, or 374,900 individuals, the previous year.
• 1 in 5 (20%) children experience food insecurity, or 128,000 children, up from 1 in 6 (17.1%) children, or 110,240 kids, the previous year.
• 1 in 3 (33%) Black neighbors is food insecure.
• 1 in 5 (22%) Hispanic neighbors is food insecure.
• Only 32.9% of neighbors in Harvesters’ service area experiencing food insecurity qualify for SNAP benefits (living 130% below the poverty line).
• The Missouri county in our service area with the highest rate of food insecurity is Bates County (18.3% total, 22.8% for children).
• The Kansas county with the highest rate of food insecurity is Wyandotte, (18.8% overall, 26% for children).

The True State of Food Insecurity 

Valerie Nicholson-Watson, Interim President and CEO of Harvesters, says while these numbers are alarming, they are likely lower than the actual current state of food insecurity across the state.  

“As a food bank that serves both very urban and very rural communities, we have been seeing record numbers of people seeking food assistance in every corner of our service area, many for the first time. This data is the most recent available, but it was collected in 2024, and a lot has changed in that time including higher prices for food, gas and housing and thousands of people have lost their SNAP benefits since new federal legislation was enacted last July.” 

What is Next for Map the Meal Gap? 

Historically, the Map the Meal Gap’s largest dataset has come from the USDA’s Food Security Report, which was an annual study launched in 1995 to determine how many individuals were experiencing hunger in the U.S. However, that study was discontinued in 2025 under new USDA leadership.  

Feeding America is working to find other solutions to continue the Map the Meal Gap report and ensure food banks, including Harvesters, have the most accurate number sets to continue to effectively feed children, families and seniors facing food insecurity. 

People can help us fill the widening hunger gap by making a financial donation, a food donation or by volunteering!  

In addition, federal funding for programs like SNAP, TEFAP, CSFP and other food assistance programs are necessary for food banks like Harvesters to continue to operate. Sign up for our Advocacy newsletter and receive advocacy updates with ways they can get involved can do so at harvesters.org/newslettersignup.