Least Of These Celebrates 25 Years

In 2023, Least of These is celebrating 25 years of helping those who are food insecure.

Founded in 1998, Least Of These is the only full-service food pantry in Christian County.

With food costs rising, the number of people facing food insecurity is growing. In the first quarter of 2023, Least Of These served 3,750 families, which is nearly 11,000 people. The food pantry saw a 50% increase in the number of families seeking food assistance from 2021 to 2022. This constitutes the highest number of people served in the pantry’s 25 years.

“Our numbers grew during the worst of the pandemic, of course, but they continue to grow due to the high cost of food, fuel and rent,” said Executive Director Kristy Carter. More than ever, middle class families are finding themselves in need of the food pantry’s assistance.

Least Of These provides 5-7 days’ worth of food per family per month, with the goal of eventually being able to provide 50 meals per month per family. This can help families stretch their monthly budgets so they can make ends meet.

Least Of These gets no government funding and instead relies on donations from individuals, businesses, churches and grantors. And they’re needed now more than ever. The pantry’s signature event, A Night at the Pantry, recently raised over $130,000.

Least Of These turns every donated dollar into ten dollars’ worth of food. When clients visit Least Of These, they are able to choose which foods they want to take home, which is a unique offering when it comes to food pantries. This helps eliminate waste and helps provide clients with a sense of dignity that most of us take for granted. “Just as we can pick what goes in our cabinets at home, we want our clients to have that same choice,” said Carter, noting that it helps remove some of the stigma and shame that people often feel when visiting a food pantry or asking for help. Another thing that makes Least Of These special is the fact that it’s not just canned and boxed foods on offer but also fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy and meats.

Food is distributed via drive through at Least Of These headquarters in Ozark, Missouri every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with two additional mobile distributions per month, one in Clever and one in Chadwick. The mobile distribution centers were set up to meet the needs of people who couldn’t afford the gas money to get to the brick-and-mortar food pantry.

“Our numbers just continue to climb,” said Carter. “People tend to be able to adjust when gas prices go up or when food prices go up,” said Carter. “Maybe it’s just a matter of cutting a few corners here and there, but if you’re adjusting for food and gas prices climbing simultaneously and then your rent gets raised it becomes overwhelming and has a negative impact on our community as a whole. But through our amazing donors and staff, we are helping people maintain their health and dignity.”