Goal: 35% of churches will offer ministries that promote a healthy and stable family life for food-insecure children through such ministries as nutrition education, mental health support, including resourcing access to substance abuse assistance and support groups for families in need.

Why: Food insecurity and other at-risk factors can have traumatic effects on children. Adults and future adults need support to alleviate impoverished conditions. Some families in poverty don’t have the resources to address other destabilizing forces such as substance abuse, depression, disease, and being overwhelmed by caring for their family members. 200,000 More Reasons is our way to help the children who suffer by offering support to the adults in their lives.

• Substance abuse is a major destabilizer for many families. There were approximately 750 opioid-related deaths in Arkansas in 2017.³ Drug abuse and overdose affects all races, classes, ages, and gender. It does not discriminate.
• MissionInsite Reports can be used to find out what is important in your community. One report in the Delta near Marianna showed that families expressed concern about personal health and life, such as
  • struggling with weight,
  • health problems,
  • depression,
  • caring for aging parents,
  • violence in their neighborhood,
  • day-to-day financial matters, and
  • making right choices or finding direction.

By offering creative ministries open to low-income, at-risk families in your mission field, there is hope that families can learn healthier ways of coping with circumstances to create more stability at home. With more stability, the chances of alleviating poverty and ending food insecurity for these families become greater.