The Central Missouri Food Bank finds itself between a rock and a hard place these days. On one hand the charitable food network, locally serving As The River Flows Pantry, Neighbor Helping Neighbor Food Pantry, Harvest House and Milestones Daycare in Cooper County, is inundated with people needing food assistance.

For example, Neighbor Helping Neighbor Food Pantry in Boonville has seen people needing food help soar from 779 in March 2007 to 914 people in March 2008. That represents a 133 percent increase. Attempting to keep up with the rapidly escalating need brings another set of challenges with rising food costs and long distance freight.
“We have lots of opportunities to pray and believe God,” said Peggy Kirkpatrick, executive director of the Central Missouri Food Bank. “I’ve been at the food bank for sixteen years and I have never seen the set of challenges we are currently facing. More and more people who have never needed food assistance before are now seeking help. Financially, our budget is severely stretched as we buy a lot of the food we distribute and we bring it in from all over the United States.”

Donations of food and or financial gifts are needed now more than ever.  One way to help is through the letter carrier food drive taking place this Saturday in many communities in mid-Missouri. Residents are encouraged to leave non-perishable food items next to their mailboxes by 9 a. m. on Saturday, May 10. Those who would like to help more, may contact the food bank at (573) 474-1020 or (800) 764-3663 or may make a gift online at www.centralmofoodbank.org.

The Central Missouri Food Bank is a regional network providing disaster and hunger relief through 145 agencies such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters for the homeless and abused, senior programs, children’s feeding programs and 60 partner elementary schools in 32 counties in central and northeast Missouri.