SIKESTON, Mo. – For the ninth straight year, Charity Navigator has given its highest rating, four stars, to the Southeast Missouri Food Bank for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency.
“It is truly an honor to again receive Charity Navigator’s 4-star rating,” said Joey Keys, chief executive officer of the food bank. “It shows our donors we can be trusted to put their gifts toward our mission: ending hunger in southeast Missouri.”
According to Charity Navigator, the 4-star rating indicates an organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way and verifies that SEMO Food Bank exceeds industry standards. This rating designates Southeast Missouri Food Bank an official “Give with Confidence” charity, indicating the organization is using its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator’s criteria.
Charity Navigator is America’s largest and most-utilized independent charity evaluator. Since 2001, the organization has been an unbiased and trusted source of information for more than 11 million donors annually.
More than 95 percent of donations to SEMO Food Bank support the food bank’s direct service programs that, along with its network of partner agencies, serves 80,000 people facing hunger each month across a 16-county service area. Every $1 donated helps provide four meals.
About Charity Navigator
Since 2001, Charity Navigator has provided millions of donors with free access to data, tools and resources to guide philanthropic decision-making. Through these ratings, nonprofits are equipped with the nonprofit sector’s premier trust indicator and a powerful platform to raise awareness and funds. Accessed more than 11 million times annually, donors can give with confidence knowing the organizations that are highly rated on Charity Navigator efficiently steward donations and are accountable and transparent. Charity Navigator does not charge the organizations it evaluates, ensuring the ratings remain objective.
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 5,575 senior citizens and weekend backpacks of food during the school year to 1,200 students in area 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.