The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri to hosts annual Holiday Food and Fund Drive

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri will host its annual One for One Holiday Food and Fund Drive on Wednesday, December 13th from 6A.M. to 6P.M. in Columbia and Jefferson City. festivities.

This will be The Food Bank's 17th One for One Holiday Food and Fund Drive. The event is hosted by The Food Bank and its media partners Zimmer Communications, The Networks of Mis-Missouri and the Commerce Bank. The event helps The Food Bank provide food to families in need this holiday season.

The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri covers a 32 county service area according to Katie Adkins, Director of Communication at The Food Bank.

"We share food with as many as 100,000 people every month, which is a huge undertaking, and we absolutely couldn't do it with out the partner agencies that we work with," said Adkins.

The Food Bank works with over 145 partners agencies in the area and nearly 200 schools to share food with those who need it. Wednesday's event will help provide food for community members for the holidays, which is appreciated according to Adkins.

Adkins says that this holiday event is an opportunity for members of the community to donate money and other goods.

"We have an amazing support network in our community, our community is really passionate about turning up and helping out," said Adkins. "And so this is a great opportunity to share canned goods, this is a good opportunity to, you know, drop off, non perishable foods that people might need. But also, it's a really good opportunity to make a monetary donation."

Donations can be made inside or outside the Columbia Mall in Columbia and at Buccheit in Jefferson City. According to The Food Bank, money is the most effective donation, as each dollar can help purchase at least four meals. The most needed donations include canned goods, rice, boxed meal kits, cereal, peanut butter and pasts. The Food Bank asks that donators refrain from donating glass containers and perishable items.

The show would not go on if it were not for The Food Bank's volunteers. Adkins says that the volunteers help collect food and funds during the event. While the event is well-equipped with volunteers, they will always accept an extra hand.

"The more people that we have at our One for One event the more meaningful the event is, the more well-known the event is, and the more people that we can connect with," said Adkins. "So, we would love to have more volunteers for One for One."

Other volunteers with The Food Bank include the Volunteer Room and The Market. Adkins says that they are in need of volunteers at The Market, the new food distribution location in Columbia.

Online donations can be made here. Click here to sign up to volunteer at One for One.