SEMO Food Bank receives $50,000-grant for summer feeding program in four counties

Thursday, May 14, 2020

SIKESTON – Southeast Missouri Food Bank was awarded a $50,000-grant to increase the food provided to children participating in summer feeding programs in Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid and Pemiscot counties.

Feeding America awarded the grant, and funds were provided by Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation and The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund. The food bank is an affiliate of Feeding America, a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based agencies.

"This grant and partnership with existing summer feeding programs allow us to reach more struggling children and their families and help them with one of their most basic needs by providing food,” said food bank Chief Executive Officer Joey Keys. “These donors are committed to helping our local community and being part of the solution to end childhood hunger, providing meals children and their families may have otherwise missed.”

Counties in the program were selected based on USDA’s rural criteria and rates of child hunger. One out of every four children in these counties is considered food insecure, meaning they live in homes that don’t have access to enough healthy food. The rate of food insecurity among children in these counties is more than 24 percent, significantly higher than the national median of 19.1 percent.

Summer months are one of the most challenging times of the year for families with limited resources. They often struggle to provide the additional meals needed and pay childcare expenses.

Under the grant-funded program, SEMO Food Bank will hold A Better Childhood (ABC) Mobile food distributions in conjunction with the feeding programs at select Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Sites. While SFSP sites reach children’s immediate needs with a meal, ABC mobiles provide nutritious food for children to take home and share with their family. ABC food distributions provide 200 to 300 families with food in a safe and familiar location, such as schools, parks, community centers and churches.

Partners in the grant are Kennett School District, Opportunity Outreach Center in Charleston and Life Changers Ministries in Lilbourn. Each agency operates multiple summer feeding sites in their respective counties.

More information about SEMO Food Bank and its programs can be found online at semofoodbank.org. The USDA provides a list of summer feeding sites on its website at fns.usda.gov/sfsp/summer-food-service-program.

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