JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – On Saturday, Aug. 20, Missouri Farmers Care Foundation and partners proudly announced that resources were raised to provide 2,425,185 meals to help feed food-insecure children across our state through the 2022 Drive to Feed Kids.
Missouri Farmers Care Drive to Feed Kids culminated Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Missouri State Fair. Through the Drive to Feed Kids, Missouri agriculture provided 303,000 pounds of pork, packed 547,000 meal boxes, and donated thousands of pounds of canned food to provide a total of 2,425,185 meals for Missouri families facing food insecurity. Missouri Farmers Care Drive to Feed Kids is presented in partnership with ADM and Brownfield Ag News with support from Feeding Missouri, the Missouri State Fair, Missouri FFA, Missouri 4-H and MU Extension, Missouri Department of Agriculture, along with many organizations and individuals across Missouri agriculture.
“Partners in the Drive to Feed Kids generously respond to address the stark reality that 1 in 7 Missouri children regularly face hunger,” said Executive Director of Missouri Farmers Care Foundation Ashley McCarty. “These partners stand in the gap between the productivity of farmers, ranchers and agribusiness providing food, and the disparity of how that abundance ends up on Missourians’ dinner tables. Over 2.4 million days will be brighter for our Missouri neighbors thanks to this outpouring from the heart of Missouri agriculture.”
Missouri’s agricultural youth programs again partnered with the Drive to raise meals for communities across the state. Missouri 4-H members donated 264,000 meals during their 4-H Feeding Missouri campaign which ran January – April 2022 and packed an additional 3,000 meal boxes for veterans at the Missouri State Fair. On Aug. 16, hundreds of Missouri FFA Association members and agricultural leaders came together at the Missouri State Fair to pack 152,000 family meals for the Missouri FFA Food Insecurity Day.
The sixth annual Missouri FFA Food Insecurity Day was held Tuesday, Aug. 16, at the Missouri State Fair in partnership with the Missouri Farmers Care Drive to Feed Kids. Together, hundreds of FFA members and agricultural leaders packed 152,000 family meals to feed families in need. The meals were distributed to Missouri’s regional food banks across the state through a partnership with Feeding Missouri.
Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson, along with Missouri elected officials and agricultural leaders, joined the cause on Thursday, Aug. 18. Together, they packed 300 emergency boxes that will provide nourishment to central Missouri families in need.
Fairgoers participated in the events by bringing non-perishable food items and monetary donations on Missouri Farmers Care Food Drive $2 Tuesday. Through these activities and a generous canned food donation by Woods Supermarket, more than 13,000 pounds of non-perishable food was donated to local pantries.
The Drive to Feed Kids campaign continues to expand through partnerships. The Hogs for Hunger program connects Missouri pig farmers, 4-H and FFA exhibitors, and meat processors with local food banks. Through the partnership with Feeding Missouri and Missouri State Fair, swine exhibitors, producers, and processors provided 1,378,241 servings of high-quality protein to all six regional food banks. Missouri pig farmers can still donate to their local food bank through this program. Feeding Missouri reimburses $0.80 per pound for each animal committed while Missouri Farmers Care Foundation reimburses producers $1.25 per pound donated to cover processing.
“There are thousands of hard-working Missourians who can’t make ends meet and don’t have enough to feed their families. That’s a reality in Missouri,” said Acting State Director of Feeding Missouri Chris Baker. “However, another reality is the heart and commitment of Missouri’s farmers to do all they can to help neighbors in need. The impact of the Drive to Feed Kids campaign is substantial and Missouri’s food banks are truly grateful.”
The year-long campaign concluded Saturday, Aug. 20 at the Missouri State Fair.
To learn more about Drive to Feed Kids, including how to be involved in 2023, visit www.MOFarmersCare.com/drive. Photos from this year’s Drive to Feed Kids’ events can be found on the Missouri Farmers Care Flickr page – Click Here.