Local food bank highlights need for volunteers following holiday season
Marie Moyer
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
As the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri gears up to celebrate its annual One for One Holiday Food and Fund Drive on Wednesday, organizers are reminding mid-Missouri that the season of giving can last beyond the holiday season.
“A lot of the times we see gaps in volunteerism after the holidays, mostly due to school schedules,” Chief communications Officer for the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri Katie Adkins said. “We have a lot of amazing college students that help us get food to the food bank and out the door really quickly so when they’re off, when they’re maybe going home for the holidays, we don’t see as many volunteers.”
Adkins adds that the food bank gets around 10,000 volunteers annually. According to a 2024 annual report, the organization shared over 21 million meals across 32 counties, adding up to around $81.2 million in economic relief.
Volunteer opportunities include sorting and packing food boxes for seniors and veterans in the volunteer room and working at the food bank’s grocery market as a stocker, grocery bagger or greeter.
“Most of our volunteer opportunities are a couple of hours, so really quick,” Adkins said. “Those are all really fun opportunities that give you the chance to connect with some other people in the community or come in as a group.”
Adkins said that working at the food bank’s volunteer room requires no training. People looking to work at the food bank market will be provided with volunteer training.
“We’re incredibly appreciative of that [volunteers], all of that saves us money that we can then put toward food, so we’re able to purchase more food because of the volunteer hours shared,” Adkins said.
Long-time volunteer James Quade told ABC 17 News that volunteer hours are flexible, and that he’s been coming in for group volunteering with his church for several years.
Quade’s group was working in the volunteer room, packing boxes with non-perishable food like cereal, peanut butter and rice. The boxes are loaded up onto palettes in groups of 32 to be sent off to food bank partners across mid-Missouri.
“Someone with a zero skill set, which I had about ten years ago, they’ll put you on the assembly line and you’ll pick it up in about 30 seconds. It is very enjoyable,” Quade said.
Quade adds that volunteering is what makes Columbia a great place to live.
“The needs of Boone County, which has about 25% poverty rate, goes year-round and we all need to do our part, whether you’re receiving or whether you’re giving,” Quade said.
The annual One for One Holiday Food Fund Drive takes place at the Columbia Mall and Buchheit in Jefferson City on Dec. 17 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Donation opportunities can also be found on the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri’s website.