Local bank contributes to Backpack For Friday program

Thursday, October 19, 2017
The First State Community Bank, Portageville Branch presented a $2,000 to the SEMO Food Bank that is designated to be used in the Backpacks For Friday program through the Portageville Elementary School. Presenting the check is Jana Morris, Vice President-Branch Manager of FSCB. Accepting the check is left, Kim Taylor, Elementary Principal, and right, Hillary Hamra, Community Programs Director for SEMO Food Bank.

To help ensure children of the local community and their families can receive some nutritional food for the weekends, the First State Community Bank, Portageville branch, donated $2,000 to the Southeast Missouri Food Bank's Backpack For Friday program.

Locally, Backpacks For Friday had been supported by the Methodist Women of the First United Methodist Church of Portageville. However, school administrators said they were not able to continue with their funding efforts for the remainder of the year.

It operates on donations from the community, and currently provides weekend support for 10 elementary students and their families. 

"The Backpacks For Fridays program is offered by the Southeast Missouri Food Bank in an effort to alleviates the strain felt by many Southeast Missouri families to provide a nutritious meal to their children over the weekend. The program is in 44 schools in our 16 county service area and BFF serves 596 households weekly during the school year," said Hillary Hamra, Community Programs Director for the Southeast Missouri Food Bank.

"To sponsor one child for 36 weeks is $350.00 and Portageville BFF sponsors 10 students each year. The weekly distribution of food is approximately 10 lbs and contains enough food for a family of four for the weekend. The menu offers kid-friendly, shelf stable items. Each year, the BFF Coordinator for Portageville is responsible for raising money to sustain the program and relies on community support to do so. With First State Community Bank’s generous donation, Portageville BFF is 100 percent funded for the 2017-2018 school year," said Hamra.

“First State Community Bank is proud to be able to give back in our community. We are always looking for ways to partner with the school and other organizations to work toward the betterment of our town. This is where we live and raise our families. Back Packs for Friday is just one of the ways we want to try to make a difference," Jana Morris, Vice President-Branch Manager at First State Community Bank.

 “This is our fifth year for the program and we are grateful to First State Community Bank for their generous donation to help fund our backpack program this year,” said Kim Taylor, Elementary School Principal.

About Southeast Missouri Food Bank

Founded in 1985, in Sikeston (formerly the Bootheel Food Bank), Southeast Missouri Food Bank provides food to charitable and disaster relief programs in Southeast Missouri. Southeast Missouri Food Bank is affiliated with Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest), the nation's food bank network.

Over 175 nonprofit hunger relief agencies in sixteen counties of Southeast Missouri benefit from the Southeast Missouri Food Bank. These counties include Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne. Member agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters for the abused and homeless, senior citizen programs, low-income children's programs and non-profit rehabilitation facilities.

The mission of Southeast Missouri Food Bank is to promote food recovery; acquire and distribute food and household products; and provide community leadership and education on issues of hunger and poverty in an effort to alleviate hunger in the region. Those interested in helping can do so by making a tax-deductible contribution, donating food or scheduling a time to volunteer.

For more information how you can be involved with the BackPack Program please contact Hillary Hamra at 573.471.1818, of hhamra@feedingamerica.org

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