The Food Bank of Central & Northeastern Missouri is beginning a “Mystery Match” drive today to raise $3,000 for the Pettis County Buddy Pack program.
The Buddy Pack program is a weekly program where backpacks of nonperishable food items are sent home with school children in need to help supplement their meals during the weekend.
“We have a donor who wants to do a funds match of up to $1,500,” Western Regional Coordinator Darren White said. “With the goal of course being $3,000.”
Mystery Match will run Nov. 1 through Nov. 24, Thanksgiving Day.
“If we can reach that $1,500, which will turn into $3,000, that will provide 16 kids with a Buddy Pack,” White noted. “We are currently serving 227 kids here in Pettis County.”
The Food Bank serves an average of 7,500 children throughout 32 Missouri counties. White said Central Bank is the Buddy Pack location for Pettis County. Mystery Match donations may be turned in at any of their branch locations.
“There was over 2.2 million pounds of food that The Food Bank distributed in Pettis County last year,” White said.
He added that the amount of food distributed his year has already exceeded the 2015 total.
“One in five kids in The Food Bank service area are food insecure,” White said. “In Pettis County, it’s one in four kids, so it shows a need. Sixty-four percent of kids qualify for free and reduced lunch in Pettis County, which is one of the highest in The Food Bank’s services.”
White added that they also plan to host a Gobble Up Hunger event from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, at Walmart in Sedalia. All food donations will benefit Open Door Service Center and all monetary donations will go toward the Pettis County Buddy Pack program.
“We’re doing this again this year, the Monday before Thanksgiving,” he noted. “We’ll be at Walmart all day long collecting food and funds.”
White said he wanted to encourage those that usually shop on another day to come out Nov. 21 instead.
Those who wish to contribute to the Buddy Pack Mystery Match program may bring donations to any Central Bank branch. The donation needs to be labeled “Mystery Match” to ensure it goes toward the proper program.
For more information or to turn in donations to The Food Bank directly, call White at 573-447-6603 or mail to The Food Bank of Central & Northeastern Missouri, 2101 Vandiver Dr., Columbia, Mo. 65202.
