In over 120 years, Empower Missouri has advanced and passed many successful policies. One of the most impactful was a significant decrease in the food sales tax led by our Hunger Task Force back in 1999. Our leaders identified that issue because our task force members were keenly aware of how sales tax is an...Read More

On October 16th, the world recognized World Food Day. Starting in 1945, the United Nations outlined and recognized food as not a privilege, but as a right. And then many years later, starting in 1979, the United Nations created World Food Day, which has been recognized annually ever since. On that day, we draw attention...Read More

Early in the COVID-19 public health crisis, Congress passed specific SNAP related provisions and waivers to help struggling families put food on the table. These changes halted recertification interviews, gave families the maximum benefit amount for their family size, and increased that maximum benefit by 15%. This is all because the global pandemic has changed...Read More

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the most far reaching, anti-poverty programs in our country.  Over 42 million individuals are helped each month by the support SNAP provides. Last week, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the 2021 Thrifty Food Plan Report. Within that report, they announced that they are...Read More

Empower Missouri and its Food Security Coalition applaud this week’s announcement that a long overdue federal increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be taking place on October 1. On Monday, the USDA released a report in which they re-calculated the Thrifty Food Plan, the calculation used to set benefit levels for SNAP,...Read More

Every five years, Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) provides Congress with an opportunity to improve and strengthen the child nutrition and school meal programs. The last time Congress successfully passed a CNR was in 2010 with the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-296). This bill technically expired on September 30,...Read More

Now that the Missouri legislative session has ended (read the MO Legislative Session Wrap Up Blog HERE and join us on Friday, June 4th at 12pm for our Legislative Session Wrap-up Event by registering HERE), it is time to turn our advocacy efforts towards Washington D.C.. In the coming months, there will be many opportunities...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19th, 2021 (JEFFERSON CITY, MO)…Empower Missouri and its network of supporters in Missouri will be joining in a coordinated Week of Action from April 19th – 22nd on Zoom this week, demanding that state lawmakers support legislation that helps Missourians have food, shelter and justice.  The actions include fighting back against...Read More

It’s not too long ago that we put the year 2020 behind us. It was a year full of major world-shifting events as our country and Missourians faced one of the most unexpected and devastating global pandemics in more than 100 years. To date, the airborne virus also known as “Covid-19,” has killed millions across...Read More

The legislature is taking their annual Spring Break this week, which is widely considered to be “halftime” of the legislative session. We’ve spent the last few days reviewing our progress on all of our priority legislation this year and preparing for the sprint to the finish line when session begins next week.  Here’s a quick...Read More