Food Bank’s Buddy Pack program helps feed hungry children in Mid-Mo

One out of every five children in our community doesn’t know where they will get their next meal.

The Food Bank of Central & Northeast Missouri is working to change that number, fighting youth hunger with their buddy pack program.

For children who rely on subsidized lunches, the buddy packs may be the only form of nutrition they receive on the weekends.

Each buddy pack is full of nutritious food, including items such as cereal, fruit, snacks, shelf stable milk and more.

The packs are distributed at school to students in need. In Boone County alone, about 1800 buddy packs will be distributed each week.

“The food bank is serving on average about 104,000 people every month. So think about roughly the population of Columbia, Missouri,” Lindsay Lopez, the Executive Director for the Food Bank of Central & Northeast Missouri tells ABC 17 News.

Lopez describes the stories she hears from kids as both heartbreaking and hopeful.

“We hear the stories from children who say, ‘I worry about starving’…but we also hear stories from children who say, ‘Wow I’ve got my buddy pack today. That means we get to eat this weekend.'” Lopez says.

The buddy pack program is the most expensive program the food bank operates since much of the contents must be purchased.

So, how can you help?

Staff members say the best food to donate is peanut butter. Other useful items include granola bars, canned spaghetti or ravioli and fruit snacks.

ABC 17 News will have canisters out at all Hyvee’s in Columbia this week. You can also head to the food bank’s website for more information on how to donate.