Fighting Hunger, Protecting Children: A Call to Action from the Crisis Nursery

Oct 30

At the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, we believe that no child should ever go hungry. Access to food is one of the most basic human needs and a strong predictor of a child’s health and long-term well-being. Yet, beginning November 1, thousands of Missouri families will face an even more uncertain reality as they do not receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

According to the Missouri Budget Project, as of early 2025, more than 324,000 Missouri households — including nearly 275,000 children — rely on SNAP to help put food on the table. For families already living paycheck to paycheck, even a short disruption in this critical support means parents must make impossible choices: pay rent or buy groceries, keep the lights on or feed their children.

At the Crisis Nursery, we see these choices play out every day. Last year, 72% of the parents engaged in our services reported being unable to consistently meet their children’s basic needs. With food prices up 25% since 2019 and childhood food insecurity up 38% in St. Louis County between 2021 and 2022, the current pause in SNAP benefits threatens to deepen an already critical crisis. In St. Louis City, nearly one in three children experiences food insecurity — a stark reminder that hunger remains a daily reality for far too many families in our community.

Why Food Access Matters to Child Well-Being

Food insecurity isn’t only about empty stomachs — it impacts a child’s entire future. Hunger and malnutrition can cause serious health issues and impair emotional, cognitive, and physical development. For children ages 0–3, chronic undernutrition can even alter brain and nervous system development, leading to lasting effects on learning and behavior.

Children who experience hunger are also at greater risk for abuse and neglect, as the stress and strain of not being able to meet basic needs weighs heavily on parents and caregivers. That’s why addressing food insecurity is central to the Crisis Nursery’s mission to prevent child abuse and neglect and strengthen families.

How the Crisis Nursery Responds

The Crisis Nursery regularly provides:

Emergency food bags for families in crisis
Nutritious meals and snacks for children staying in our care
Referrals to community partners, including local food pantries, for ongoing food support

By ensuring families have access to food, we not only meet their immediate needs — we reduce parental stress, strengthen family stability, and promote child safety and well-being.

How You Can Help

Donate nonperishable food items such as cereal, pasta, canned fruits and vegetables, or infant formula to Operation Food Search and other local partners listed below working to fight hunger in our region.
Support our new Baby Formula Drive to ensure every infant’s nutritional needs are met.
Contribute financially to help purchase fresh food and formula.
Email Congress to urge immediate action. You can use this quick form from First Five Years Fund.
Call your representatives to share your concerns. Use the Congressional Switchboard line at 202-224-3121.
Share this blog with your own message to help raise awareness.

Every meal, every bag of groceries, and every act of compassion protects the safety and well-being of vulnerable children and families right here in our community. Please join the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery in ensuring that no child in our region goes hungry — even in the face of these uncertain times.