Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri

Feb 9, 2012

Food Science Chef

More than 1,790 children in Audrain County validate for giveaway and reduced dishes during school, and one module that serves them needs assistance from a public, according to a orator with The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri (formerly Central Missouri Food Bank).
For many of these children, propagandize lunches are a many healthful dishes they receive, and entrance to a same kind of nourishment is not accessible on a weekends, food bank officials said.
To residence this, The Food Bank’s Buddy Pack module provides healthy food for subordinate children to take home to eat during a weekend. The packs are filled with nutritious, shelf-stable dishes such as peanut butter crackers, pop-top fruits and soups, fruit juice, granola bars, dusty fruits and nuts, and a 12-ounce cosmetic jar of peanut butter.
In Audrain County, 464 children during Community R-6 Elementary, Early Childhood Center, Eugene Field, Hawthorne and McMillan Elementary schools accept food from The Food Bank’s Buddy Pack module any week. However, due to rising costs, a module might have to be exceedingly cut behind or eliminated.
The module faces a series of challenges:

• An boost in demand.
• A arise in fuel prices. It now costs some-more in prolonged stretch burden to move in food.
• Food losses have increasing anywhere from 15 percent to 30 percent.

At a commencement of a propagandize year, The Food Bank estimated that a Buddy Pack would cost $100 per tyro for both semesters. Within dual months a cost had increasing to $150. Officials now guess a cost will be during slightest $180 per child before 2012 is over.
The Food Bank has launched an “Adopt A Buddy” beginning in hopes of removing Audrain County adults to compensate for a cost of a Buddy Pack for one child. The idea is to find 120 sponsors in a county as shortly as possible.
To unite one child, it costs $180 or $15 a month for 12 months.
“In a 5 years that we have been here, and a 20 years that a exectuive executive has been here, we’ve never had to scale behind on a program, and we don’t wish to now,” pronounced John Wampler, informal coordinator for The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri. “We’re only seeking a good folks of Audrain to adopt a buddy. Their concession would stay in Audrain, and a Commerce Bank has concluded to be a ambassador, to give people a place they can go to dump off a check or income for program.”
The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri distributes giveaway food to 138 facile schools by a Buddy Pack Program, and 135 hunger-relief agencies, such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and others. The network helps feed scarcely 100,000 people per month in 32 counties in executive and northeast Missouri. Audrain County receives 594,340 pounds of food that is distributed to a following:
• The Help Center (324,944 pounds)
• Second Missionary Baptist Church Pantry (117,301 pounds)
• St. Johns Catholic Pantry (103,596 pounds)
• Buddy Pack Schools (49,499 pounds, divided between 5 schools)

More than 55,000 propagandize children in The Food Bank’s 32-county use area financially validate for giveaway or reduced-priced lunches. Since 2005, that series has grown by 25 percent – adding some-more than 10,000 students within 5 years. That means one out of any dual students in executive and northeast Missouri indispensable help. Missouri ranks 5th in a republic in child food insecurity.
“We trust during The Food Bank that if we can feed a child and they come to school, that child is going to concentration and compensate attention. He will stay in propagandize and get an education, and hopefully mangle a cycle of poverty,” Wampler said. “We’re a lot closer than we think, and so is a solution. Our idea is to cover a cost of a module for a rest of propagandize year.”
Wampler added: “I am really ardent about this program. Someone once said, a prophesy is something we see, though a means possesses you. This is a means that we trust in, and devise to pursue.”
 Those wishing to assistance a child in Audrain County can make a check payable to “Adopt a Buddy” and mail it to Commerce Bank, 2946 S. Clark St., Mexico, Mo. 65265, or visit: www.sharefoodbringhope.org/adoptabuddy and pointer adult to give $15 any month or $180 any year. For  some-more information, hit Wampler during The Food Bank, 1-800-764-3663.

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