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The Food Bank is teaming up with the Missouri Tigers to host a one-of-a-kind tailgate experience event at Memorial Stadium.
Join us for bite-size creations from some of Columbia's finest eateries, brews and spirits from local vendors and on-field activities. The Golden Girls, Truman the Tiger, "Voice of the Tigers" Mike Kelly and other Mizzou favorites will also be on hand to greet fans. Raffle prizes and auction items will give guests the opportunity to vie for Mizzou packages and other unique experiences.
A $50 ticket is all inclusive.
Reserve your ticket today!
WHEN: 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017
WHERE: North Concourse,
Memorial Stadium, Columbia
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The Sept. 16 home football game against Purdue at Memorial Stadium has been designated the Sack Hunger game as a fundraiser for The Food Bank. Come cheer on the Tigers and help tackle hunger. Your monetary support allows us to purchase fresh, healthy food for neighbors in need--perishable items that cannot be collected at food drives. Thank you for joining the Missouri Tigers to sack hunger!
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Mobile Pantry helps in time of need
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Five years ago, Greg began experiencing health issues. Spikes in blood pressure would cause him to pass out, which sometimes led to falls. The falls caused back trouble and two torn rotatar cuffs.
“I had to quit working,” he said. “I went from making six figures a year down to nothing. It took us about five years to go through everything we had saved up to the point that we had to have assistance.”
Now, the family relies on his wife’s salary to pay rent and other bills. With two teens in the house, extra groceries from The Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry at Indian Hills in Columbia help, too.
“Anything extra helps,” he said. “Especially with growing kids.”
Mobile Pantries are refrigerated box trucks that are able to take fresh produce, protein and other perishable items to clients in areas without access to brick and mortar pantries. The mobile at Indian Hills began last year.
“A neighbor told us about The Food Bank, so we started going to it," Greg said. "It's nice to have assistance."
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The Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri awarded three grants to The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri totaling $6,500. One $2,500 grant will be designated for the Buddy Pack program in Shelby County, and two $2,000 grants will go toward providing food to residents in Lewis and Marion counties. Pictured are Lydia Ahrens, secretary of the foundation Board of Directors, and Steve Yager, regional coordinator for The Food Bank.
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We welcomed a number of college groups to The Food Bank at the start of the semester, many of which used volunteering as part of a day of service. Top: A student group from the University of Missouri. Left: Freshmen from Stephens College help repack. Right: Lincoln students from Jefferson City served at the start of the school year. We also welcomed incoming law school students from Mizzou and Columbia College's track and field student athletes. We appreciate college groups helping us throughout the school year.
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Grace Borhart understands some people are skeptical of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—i.e. food stamps.
As SNAP coordinator, she also knows who is using these benefits.
“Everyone I’ve assisted uses food stamps like a safety net,” she said. “I’ve met people between jobs or who got their hours cut at work. People whose car broke down or whose medical expenses overwhelmed them. Parents who want the best for their kids. The food stamp program is there to help everyday people keep food on the table while they figure everything else out.”
The first person Grace assisted when she started at The Food Bank in June 2016 was an elderly man at a mobile pantry. He explained that he had never needed food pantries before but his wife had died a couple of months prior. Paying bills had gotten tight, he said. Grace later saw him, and the man expressed his appreciation for the small allocation he received through SNAP.
Grace has been with The Food Bank since June 2016 and says she is fortunate to be able to help people.
“Through hearing the challenges they face, I can direct them to resources that they might not otherwise have known about, and that makes me feel as though I’m where I’m meant to be.”
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We ask our partner agencies to provide testimonials from their clients. This comes from
Linda Lagergren from Food for Morgan County.
We often talk about experiences with consumers, but another important component of our service is the volunteers. In our case, several of our volunteers are also consumers. They all volunteer for various reasons, but one common reason is that they want to give as well as receive. The time and effort that they contribute far exceeds the value of the food that they take home at the end of the day, and we could not operate without them.
However, there is another aspect of volunteering that is often overlooked. That aspect is the change that can be observed in the volunteers as they return each month to do their part. Many of them come in unsure of themselves, and not certain if they have anything to offer. Month after month, you can see them act with more assurance, offer positive suggestions, and take pride in what they do and the difference that they are making.
Recently a new volunteer was asked to serve as our receptionist. She had a positive way of interacting with those she met, and seemed to catch on quickly to jobs that needed to be done. In conversation with her, I learned that she is planning to return to school, and hopes to get a job after years of being a stay-at-home mom.
When asked what she had done other than caring for her children, she replied that she had been active at her church, and often helped with various church projects. It surprised her to learn that these experiences, in addition to the food pantry, were actually viable experiences in the job market. Her response was much like the proverbial light bulb turning on, and she resumed her receptionist duties with an even more positive attitude.
This reporter also learned a valuable lesson. It is important to let the volunteers know how important they are!
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