December 26, 2007
Contact: Bev Pfeifer-Harms
Director of Communications
314.345.5500 office

Missouri Foundation for Health Gives $200,000 to Food Banks

St. Louis -Four food banks in Missouri are sharing a $200,000 grant from Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) that will provide food to thousands of needy families. The grant, made through MFH's emergency fund, comes as food banks and pantries throughout Missouri are experiencing severe shortages.
Receiving this emergency funding are: Bootheel Food Bank, $30,000; Central Missouri Food Bank, $70,000; Ozark Food Harvest, $30,000; and St. Louis Area Food Bank, $70,000.

"MFH recognizes how important proper nutrition is to a person's overall health. Unfortunately, the economy, weather and the season have combined to put unusual demands on food banks and pantries in our service region, thus affecting the health of thousands of needy Missouri families," said Dr. James R. Kimmey, MFH's president and CEO. "Through our past support of these four organizations, we are confident they can quickly get food to the families in their various communities that need it most."

Bootheel Food Bank, in Sikeston, provides food to families in 16 southeast Missouri counties. Central Missouri Food Bank, in Columbia, serves 31 counties in northeast and mid-Missouri. Ozark Food Harvest, in Springfield, serves 35 southwest and south central Missouri counties. St. Louis Area Food Bank, in St. Louis, serves 14 eastern Missouri counties.

Previously, MFH has provided emergency grants to Missouri organizations dealing with heat, tornadoes, floods and other natural disasters in the state.

Established in 2000, MFH is the largest non-governmental funder of community health activities in Missouri. MFH is in its sixth year of grantmaking, having issued more than $265 million in grants and awards to date. It is dedicated to serving the uninsured, underinsured and underserved in 84 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis. For more information about MFH, visit the website at www.mffh.org.

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