BackPacks for Friday Program receives $8,000 donation | Community Spirit

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - The Southeast Missouri Food Bank received an $8,000 donation for the BackPacks for Friday Program serving 30 children in the Cape Girardeau School District.

The Montgomery Bank presented the check to the food bank. They have been supporting it financially for four years now and funded one of the first sites in 2009. Employees of the bank also support the program by volunteering their time on a weekly basis delivering the backpacks to Jefferson Elementary.

"The support of Montgomery Bank could not be more crucial," said Karen Green, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Food Bank.

According to a recent study, "Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity," 21,230 children in Southeast Missouri Food Bank's service area are food insecure, this means they lack consistent access to enough food at some point during the year.

"The effects of hunger expand well beyond the child who struggles daily for his or her next nutritious meal," Green said. "Hunger significantly impacts how children grow and learn. Southeast Missouri Food Bank encourages everyone to play a role in raising awareness around the issue of child hunger and get involved in your community."

The BackPacks for Friday Program fills the gap and reduces child hunger by providing children who are at risk of hunger with a bag of nutritious food every Friday throughout the school year when other resources aren't available, such as free school breakfasts and lunches.

Those interested in helping may send donations to:

Southeast Missouri Food Bank
BackPacks for Friday Program
P.O. Box 1688
Cape Girardeau, MO 63702-1688

If anyone would like to volunteer for the program or want to know more, they can contact Amanda Winschel, children's programs manager at the Food Bank at 573-651-0400 or awinschel@feedingamerica.org.

Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.