Least of These Gears Up for Back-to-School Season

"Food changes everything,” says Kristy Carter, executive director of Least of These Christian County Food Pantry, which serves 1,400 families a month. At Least of These, people can find security in knowing they have food, allowing them to direct their finances elsewhere.

Least of These is a choice pantry, which allows people to select the groceries they receive each month from an available menu of items. During their food pickup appointment, individuals receive next month’s food sheet, cross off unwanted items, and the sheet is stored in their file. 

Striving for nutritional balance, families receive a variety of meat, fresh produce, canned vegetables, dairy products, eggs and more. The team at Least of These creates recipe sheets featuring three recipes each month for cooking the food they provide. “We’re trying to help them stretch not only their budget but the foods we give them,” Carter says.  

Food Pantry vs. Food Bank

A food pantry differs from a food bank in that the pantry receives assistance from the bank and directly serves individuals and families. Least of These is a member agency of Ozarks Food Harvest, a food bank serving southwest Missouri. The food bank has the connections and resources to supply the pantries with necessary items, allowing the pantry to purchase foods at a discounted cost based on their needs. The food pantry also receives some donated items from the food bank. “We couldn’t do what we do without them and many other partners,” Carter says. “We get one to two semi-trucks full of food from them a week, along with truckload donations from Convoy of Hope and others.” 

It costs the food pantry just $64 to provide a family with five to seven days’ worth of food. “If you’ve been to the grocery store lately, you know you can’t buy much for $64,” Carter says. “Being able to leverage and utilize our buying power and relationships is super important for us.”

How to Help

As the back-to-school season approaches, the team at Least of These is busy crafting recipes and menus with items ideal for child-friendly lunches and quick after-school meals. This is also the perfect time to host a drive for Least of These, focusing on items like cereal, canned goods or hygiene products. 

Donating money is the most significant way to help Least of These, as 68% of their 2023 income came from individual donations, followed by 15% from businesses. Lastly, spread the word! “Word of mouth is the best communication we can give,” Carter says, “and it works the best. We are always in need of donors, volunteers and advocates.”