SIKESTON, Mo. – Southeast Missouri Food Bank has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Red Nose Day USA that will help feed children in southeast Missouri.
The Red Nose Day funds will allow the food bank to hold 10 A Better Childhood (ABC) Mobile Food Pantries this year in communities with higher rates of childhood hunger.
Southeast Missouri has some of the highest rates of childhood hunger in the state. In Pemiscot County, one in three children are food insecure, with 29.5 percent childhood food insecurity, ranking it No. 1 in the state. In SEMO Food Bank’s 16-county service area, 20.4 percent of children are food insecure; statewide, 14.7 percent of children are food insecure.
Red Nose is sponsored by the non-profit organization Comic Relief and began in the United States in 2015. Activities support an end to child poverty by raising money and awareness for child hunger initiatives in the United States. Red Nose Day 2023 will be May 25.
Information on specific dates, times and locations of the mobiles will be shared with families through school districts and other partners.
About Southeast Missouri Food Bank
The mission of Southeast Missouri Food Bank is to end hunger and leverage the power of food to build healthy communities. The food bank provides food to 140 charitable and disaster relief programs in Southeast Missouri. These member agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, domestic violence and homeless shelters. Southeast Missouri Food Bank also holds regular mobile food distributions and provides monthly boxes of food to 5,500 senior citizens and weekend backpacks of food during the school year to nearly 1,200 students in 30 school districts. The food bank’s 16-county coverage area includes Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne counties. Those interested in helping can do so by making a tax-deductible contribution, donating food, or scheduling a time to volunteer. Visit semofoodbank.org for more information.
About Red Nose Day
Red Nose Day USA is a fundraising campaign run by the non-profit organization Comic Relief US, a registered U.S. 501(c)3. Red Nose Day started in the United Kingdom in 1988, built on the foundation that the power of entertainment can drive positive change. To date, it has raised over $1 billion globally. Since its U.S. launch in 2015, Red Nose Day has raised over $230 million to positively impact over 25 million children in the United States and around the world. Money raised supports programs that ensure the children who need it most are safe, healthy, educated and empowered. For more information about Red Nose Day USA and its impact, visit www.rednoseday.org. Follow @RedNoseDayUSA on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.