(BPT)—Imagine helping feed 500 people in order to fight hunger in your hometown. Jill Chandler of Fayette, Mo., does this twice every month. Her efforts through the Fayette Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry help feed approximately one-sixth of the city’s 3,000 population. In this rural town where cattle outnumber residents, most people would be surprised to learn about the widespread need for food.
This holiday season, more than three million households in rural communities will face hunger. The counties with the highest rates of food insecurity are more likely to be found in rural areas, according to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap 2015 study.
Chandler is making a real difference through her volunteer work managing the food pantry. Recently the organization was able to enhance their menu of options thanks to Invest An Acre, a program of Feeding America that provides resources for hunger-relief organizations that serve small towns and rural communities across the United States.