Fayette Mobile Draws a Crowd

Emily Rademacher declined the bag of yellow onions, but the rest was an unexpected surprise for the college student struggling to support herself.

The potatoes, package of ribs, vegetables, boxes of cereal and crackers would be enough to last her a couple of weeks, she said.

Emily was not planning to go to The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri’s Mobile Food Pantry in Fayette during its monthly visit in January. From her apartment window, she happened to notice the truck and Food Bank staff distributing food in the parking lot across the street. When she asked around and found out she would qualify for free food, she was thrilled and made two trips to transport her allotment back to her apartment in a red laundry basket.

Emily is studying nursing with the help of scholarships and financial aid. Her parents, who recently relocated from Missouri to Florida, provide an allowance but it goes toward rent and other bills. Emily does not have a job in order to focus on studies.

“This will really help me out,” she said. “It will last a while. I was surprised by how much they gave me.”

The Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry visits Fayette on the third Thursday of each month. On a particularly cold January morning, families and individuals lined up an hour before the pantry was slated to open. The Food Bank team quickly set up to serve people immediately. In all, more than 125 individuals—roughly 55 families—were able to access food that day.

For Betty Leonard, the mobile pantry supplements her fixed income.

“After bills, there’s not much left,” she said. “So this helps a lot.”

Betty, a widow, raised four children, all of whom are now working adults with their own families.

“I sacrificed a lot to get them an education so that they’d be better off than I am,” she said.

Although she struggles with diabetes and high blood pressure, Betty said she makes an effort to eat well, and The Food Bank helps her make healthy choices.

Tim Marino and his wife, Michelle, rely on The Food Bank to help them support themselves. They met in a homeless shelter a year ago and married a month later. They’ve since been able to move out of the shelter and recently took in a 12-year-old boy whose mother is incarcerated.

Standing in line waiting for the pantry to open, Tim, a Gulf War veteran, and Herb Burr, a Vietnam veteran swapped combat stories.

“I remember the other guys grumbling, but I told them it’s what you make it,” Herb said. “The whole world is what you make it. Enjoy it.”

The people of Fayette are able to enjoy it a little more thanks to those who make The Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry possible, Betty noted.

“They are making a great gift,” she said, “by helping out the ones who aren’t fortunate enough to be able to purchase healthy food.”

Food Bank Welcomes New Directors

The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri welcomes Heather Hargrove, Michael Kateman and Amy Schneider to its Board of Directors.

Hargrove is sales manager at KRCG. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri and previously served as general manager of Holiday Inn Select Executive Center. She is a past president of the Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Network and former chair of the Chamber of Commerce.

Kateman is director of internal communications at the UM System. Previously, he served as executive director of development, alumni and public relations at Columbia College. Kateman holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a master’s in journalism from MU, where he is currently pursuing his Ph.D.

Schneider has served as director of the Columbia Convention and Visitor’s Bureau since 2011. Previously, she was a sales manager for the CVB. She is a graduate of MU.

“These are dedicated professionals who all have a track record of leadership in Columbia,” Executive Director Lindsay Young Lopez said. “We are thrilled to have them join The Food Bank team.”

The new members completed orientation in mid-January and participated in their first board meeting Jan. 26.

The Board of Directors assists in guiding The Food Bank and its mission of feeding hungry people in a 32-county area. The Food Bank serves an average of 104,000 people a month.

Machens Continues to Give back

Making good on a promise to remain a partner in the Mid-Missouri community, Joe Machens Dealerships are donating $28,231 to The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri.

The money was raised during a five-day “Hunger Hits the Road” drive in December. Nine dealerships—eight in Columbia and one in Jefferson City—participated, donating $50 for every vehicle sold.

“We are so grateful to the Machens dealerships for their generosity,” Food Bank Executive Director Lindsay Young Lopez said. “Joe Machens sets a standard for philanthropy and service throughout the region, and we appreciate their ongoing partnership. The owners, employees and customers have made a significant difference in the lives of many, many of our neighbors.”

General managers will present the check to Lopez during a press conference at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Joe Machens Volkswagen of Columbia, 1200 Vandiver Dr.

During the “Hunger Hits the Road” event, dealers raised an additional $2,131 and 5,615 pounds worth of food from customers for The Food Bank.

The total contribution is the equivalent of 429,080 pounds of food that will now be distributed to hundreds of thousands of area residents in need.

The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri serves approximately 114,000 people every month through 128 agencies.