SIKESTON, Mo. – Southeast Missouri Food Bank is proud to announce that regional Walmart stores have collectively donated $8,500 through the Walmart Spark Good grant program, helping provide critical support for neighbors facing hunger across Southeast Missouri.
“We are incredibly grateful to Walmart and their local store teams for their continued partnership and generosity,” said Joey Keys, CEO of Southeast Missouri Food Bank. “Support like this helps ensure that families, children, and seniors across our region have access to the food they need. It’s a powerful example of what can happen when businesses invest in the well-being of their communities.”
The grant funding reflects the continued commitment of Walmart stores throughout the region to strengthening the communities they serve. Participating locations include stores in Cape Girardeau, Farmington, Jackson, Kennett, Malden, Perryville, Poplar Bluff, and Sikeston.
“We are proud to serve not only as store managers, but also as active members of the communities we support,” said Buddy Barger, Store Manager of Cape Girardeau Walmart Neighborhood Market. “It is incredibly meaningful to work for a company like Walmart that encourages collaboration with organizations dedicated to meeting the essential needs of our customers. One outstanding example is the SEMO Food Bank, whose commitment to combating food insecurity continues to make a profound impact in our area. Their work is both inspiring and vital, and we are honored to have the opportunity to partner with them in support of this important mission.
Walmart is a valued partner of Southeast Missouri Food Bank, supporting hunger-relief efforts not only through grant funding but also through participation in the Food Bank’s Retail Rescue Program, which helps recover and distribute fresh, nutritious food that might otherwise go to waste.
In addition, Walmart’s annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, running now through May 3, provides another opportunity for customers and communities to join in the fight against hunger. The campaign encourages shoppers to support regional food banks through round-up donations at the register and the purchase of participating products.
Together, these efforts make a meaningful difference for thousands of neighbors across Southeast Missouri who turn to the Food Bank for food assistance.
SEMO Food Bank serves 80,000 individuals each month – including families, children, veterans, and seniors – through a network of 140 partner agencies and direct-service programs across a 16-county service area. Southeast Missouri has some of the highest rates of hunger in Missouri, with 1 in 6 individuals, 1 in 4 children and one in eight seniors living in homes that are food insecure. The five most food-insecure counties in the state are in Southeast Missouri.
For more information, visit semofoodbank.org.
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 5,600 senior citizens and weekend backpacks of food during the school year to 1,100 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.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better — anytime and anywhere — in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 270 million customers and members visit more than 10,750 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2025 revenue of $681 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on X (formerly known as Twitter) at twitter.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart.