The Hungriest State

When Clarksdale's only full-service supermarket closes, residents find themselves with reduced access to nutritious food. Facing long drives out of town and lacking reliable transportation, many turn to other community-based programs to fill in the gaps. The Care Station, a volunteer-led meal preparation and delivery service, provides healthy meals to those in need.

Food accessibility can be tough for the young and elderly. In COVID's early days, a school district used buses to deliver meals to locked-down students. In Mississippi, a widow relies on community support due to declining health, unable to tend her garden anymore.

The supply chain connects Mississippians with efficient and timely access to healthy and safe food. Disruptions to the system can come from many directions and their ripple effects can threaten food security for all.

Environmental and economic threats jeopardize the Mississippi Gulf Coast's way of life. Locally sourced seafood, a southern food staple, faces challenges: diminishing catches and worsening conditions raise doubts about its future. Two fishermen recount reduced supply and tighter profits. With no relief in sight, the local seafood industry's existence is in peril.