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Find out how you can help The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri.

The Food Bank serves more than 95,000 people each month who live at or below the poverty level – predominantly the working poor, their children, and the elderly.  With that massive amount of hungry people in their service area, The Food Bank relies greatly on the community for support.

Every dollar you contribute provides 20 pounds of food – or about 15 meals. You can help today!  Donate online or call 800-764-3663 or 573-474-1020.  Donations can also be made to one of The Food Bank’s child-focused programs.

Buddy Pack Program

The Food Bank sets up food closets in schools that have many low-income children. Before a child goes home for the weekend or for a long holiday period, back packs are filled with kid-friendly, nutritious food. The child takes the food home, uses it to supplement their diet, then brings the empty back pack back to school. The cycle then repeats itself.  Snacks are provided to 27,000 children each month with Buddy Packs going home with 3,800 children a week.

How can you help?

Donate back packs, money or by holding a Buddy Pack food drive (for food specifically to be put into the back packs).

Food 4 Kids Program

Food 4 Kids is a summer program that allows children to receive food when school is out of session. In 2009, nearly every school district The Food Bank serves saw an increase in the number of children qualifying for the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program. Each Food 4 Kids program serves sack lunches to children. Each lunch includes a sandwich, fruit, drink and a snack-type item such as a granola bar. Some programs also offer a hot lunch one or two days a week.

How can you help?

The Food Bank needs “partners” to cook the food and provide a place where the children can come and have lunch.  They are always looking for more churches and civic organizations who are able to provide the “meals and love” for these children.