Food bank prepares for One for One Holiday Food and Fund Drive
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
It’s December, which means volunteers at the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri are busy preparing for the annual One for One Holiday Food and Fund Drive.
It’s a collection event the organization says is crucial to supporting those in need, across nearly one third of the state.
“We’re really lucky to work with 145 partner agencies across those 32 counties,” Food Bank spokesperson Katie Adkins said.
The food bank acts as a wholesaler, gathering food and distributing it across the organizations it serves.
Adkins said the food bank relies on partners such as Soup kitchens, senior centers, pantries across 32 counties. This helps ensure nearly 100,000 people are fed each month.
“That’s a huge number,” Adkins said. “Not all of those people will come back every single month to access food, but in general we’ve been distributing more than 20 million meals every single year, or the food to make 20 million meals.”
Nonperishable food donations are welcome, but Adkins says monetary donations make the biggest impact.
“Just a $25 donation can help us provide at least a hundred meals to our neighbors and that goes a long way,” she said.
If you want to make a food donation — organizers stress that peanut butter is something they can make good use of across all of their distribution centers. But it is especially great for their Buddy Pack program — something that helps tie students over between school hours.
Please join ABC 17 News in helping families this holiday season.
The ABC 17 team will be at the Columbia Mall from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday collecting donations of food and money. You can also donate at Buchheit of Jefferson City (formerly Orscheln Farm and Home).
