Missouri Co-op Helps Hungry Kids

By CnAgri2012-09-06 01:30:18 Print

A single day's donation drive organized by a Missouri electric cooperative will help make weekends and holiday breaks better for some of the neediest children in its service territory.

Working with local businesses and the region's food bank, Co-Mo Electric Cooperative staffers used a Saturday to collect food donations and money.

The program started in August 2011. "It was such a success last year, we decided to make it even bigger this year," said Robin Shrum, a customer service representative for the Tipton-based co-op. "We asked our members to collect and bring in backpacks and any food items they could donate to our local schools."

The program is called Buddy Pack, and its goal is fighting weekend hunger at home. Youngsters who depend on free or reduced cost meals get a simple breakfast and a nutritious lunch on school days, but on weekends and during holiday breaks they might go hungry.

"We use a lot of peanut butter, because we want to make sure kids get enough protein," said Shrum. "There's also crackers, and other simple things kids can cook in a microwave."

A huge trove of juice boxes, dried macaroni and cheese, non-perishable fruit cups, gelatin deserts and puddings were collected along with monetary donations to the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri.

"Volunteers fill the backpacks throughout the week, and on Fridays we send the kids home with enough food to last the weekend," Shrum said. "Over long holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, we add extra to last until they come back to school."

Several supermarkets in the co-op's service territory and a local bank also served as collection points for the Buddy Pack kick-off donation drive for the upcoming school year. Participating children receive about $180 worth of donated food throughout the school year, food bank officials said.

"The Buddy Pack Program helps feed over 700 children in the Lake [of the Ozarks] area every week," said Danielle Kincaid, assistant vice president of the Bank of Versailles. "We are thrilled to be a part of such an amazing program."