food for veterans
Serving Those Who Have Served Us
Veterans are more likely to be affected by food insecurity than those who are not veterans. According to Feeding America, in 2020, 10% of working-age veterans lived in food-insecure households and around 25% of active-duty service members were food insecure. Among those surveyed at The Food Bank's own partner pantries, 18% of households included someone who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserves or National Guard. The Food Bank’s VIP Veteran Pack Program is designed to address that challenge and help serve those who have served us so well.
Veteran Packs are monthly boxes that include nutritious food and personal care items. These packs include ready-to-eat entrees, soups, fruits, vegetables and toiletries such as razors, body wash and deodorant.
If you are a veteran or served in the military, you can get a Veteran Pack once per month at no cost to you (while supplies last). Veteran Packs are currently offered in Adair, Audrain, Benton, Boone, Callaway, Cole, Knox, Marion, Miller, Pettis, Phelps, Saline and Schuyler. Check our food locator to see if a partner agency near you is a distributor.
You can enroll by sharing documentation that describes your service (a VA ID card or discharge papers, for example) with an employee. Your enrollment will be documented, so you won’t have to prove service status after the initial sign-up process.