Addressing Food Insecurity Through Economic Stability

Root Cause: Inadequate Safety Nets During Economic Hardship
In Partnership with the Kansas Food Action Network (KFAN)

What is Food Insecurity?
Food insecurity exists on a continuum—from not having enough food to eat, to lacking access to affordable, nutritious options, to being unable to manage chronic health conditions due to poor nutrition. In Bourbon County and across Southeast Kansas, this isn’t about scarcity—it’s about systems.

Too many families in our region are forced to choose between paying for groceries or covering rent, child care, or medical bills. Food insecurity is not just about hunger—it’s about survival.

Why It Happens
Through deep listening, data collection, and collaboration with our Local Health Equity Action Teams (LHEATs), we identified the top root cause driving food insecurity in our region:

Inadequate Safety Nets During Economic Hardship
When economic shocks hit—like job loss, illness, or rising costs—too many people fall through the cracks. Without robust support systems, families can't recover quickly or sustainably. That makes food access unreliable, especially for those already living paycheck to paycheck.

Key Data Points for Bourbon County:

• 14.3% of residents are food insecure
• 22.4% of children live in food-insecure households
• 43.3% of residents live in food desert census tracts
• 65.3% of children under age 6 with working parents lack child care options
• Only 10.8% of households participate in SNAP, despite 19.7% being eligible

Our Approach
With support from the Kansas Food Action Network (KFAN) and the Kansas Health Foundation, we are working to address the root cause of food insecurity by:

• Building self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship, workforce development, and mentorship
• Connecting residents with food access programs, housing supports, and wraparound services through Community Health Workers
• Creating economic opportunities by supporting local small businesses and food systems
• Engaging schools, entrepreneurs, and local leaders to coordinate grassroots solutions
• Advocating for policy change that strengthens the social safety net and increases local resilience

Why This Matters
When safety nets are strong, families don’t have to choose between feeding their kids and keeping the lights on. When local businesses thrive, they create jobs and bring food closer to home. When we invest in economic stability, we reduce food insecurity at its roots.

Our Work with KFAN
We are proud to be part of the Kansas Food Action Network, a statewide initiative focused on building a hunger-free Kansas through systems-level change. KFAN helps us align local action with state strategy, share resources, and amplify community-driven solutions.

We can’t fix food insecurity with food pantries alone. It will take systems change, community leadership, and new ways of working together. If you’re ready to be part of that solution, we want to hear from you.