STE. GENEVIEVE – We are excited to announce that Ste. Genevieve FFA and Ste. Genevieve County Missouri 4-H were each recently awarded a $250 matching grant from the Missouri FFA and the Missouri Farmers Care Foundation. This grant is designed as a Drive to Feed Kids, and provides FFA and 4H chapters an opportunity to host service-learning projects to address food insecurity and raise awareness in their communities. The organization receiving the grant raises matching funds or generates in-kind contributions to support the projects.
We would like to share a heartfelt thank you to our matching donors, MRV Banks, who donated $500, and Ste. Genevieve Farm Bureau, who donated $250. Altogether, $1,250 was raised to fund food purchases for holiday food bags for children whose families might need help with meals and snacks for the children over the holiday break. Some of the items include: applesauce, fruit cups, breakfast foods, Nutri Grain bars, mac and cheese, fruit, microwaveable pasta, rice and soup cups, and more! Approximately 100 students will be able to take home a holiday food bag.
“The Missouri Farmers Care Drive to Feed Kids impacts the lives of FFA and 4-H members and makes brighter days for children and families facing hunger in our communities,” said Ashley McCarty, executive director of Missouri Farmers Care Foundation. “Presented with ADM and Brownfield Ag News, the Drive to Feed Kids equips youth to positively impact their communities.”
In 2024, the Drive to Feed Kids collaborative effort raised 711,278 meals for Feeding Missouri, a coalition of Missouri’s six Food Banks working to provide hunger relief to every county through a network of more than 1,500 community feeding programs.
This is the fifth year the Missouri Farmers Care Foundation has provided matching grants for Missouri FFA chapters, Missouri 4-H clubs and collegiate and career and technical education organizations to address local food security needs. In 2024, recipients raised resources to provide more than 21,70 meals in their local communities from grant-funded projects.
Individuals, organizations and companies interested in joining the Drive to Feed Kids can find details and a link to give at www.mofarmerscare.com/drive. All donations support the Drive and the work of Feeding Missouri network food banks who work daily to alleviate hunger.
