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Tiger fans give at the Black & Gold Game
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MU Fans Give Record Amount of Food At Spring Game
Nearly 14,000 Pounds Donated For Central Missouri Food Bank
April 29, 2008
Columbia, Mo. - Missouri Tiger football fans were challenged to give to a worthy cause recently at the Black & Gold Spring Game, and on April 19th, they did just that, and then some. Asked to bring three canned food items to the game for the Central Missouri Food Bank, Tiger fans donated just under 14,000 pounds of food for the organization, while the MU Department of Athletics added a $2,500 donation. The food donation by fans is more than twice that of the previous record of just under 7,000 pounds collected at an MU spring football game.
Additionally, the ongoing Tigers Score Against Hunger campaign has nearly reached the $3.5 million mark in total donations to the Food Bank since the program's inception in 1995, according to Central Missouri Food Bank Executive Director Peggy Kirkpatrick. The Score for Hunger campaign runs during the season, and all proceeds are used to provide free food to people in need through emergency food pantries, low-income children's programs, shelters for the abused and homeless and soup kitchens. Tiger fans pledge money to the Food Bank for every point Mizzou scores during the year.
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"The Black & Gold Game is an excellent example of the generosity and partnership we have with the Missouri Tigers," said Kirkpatrick. "This event not only raised much needed supplies, but gave national exposure to the issue of hunger in a creative way that will help us feed our hungry neighbors. We thank the Mizzou Athletic Department, Coach Gary Pinkel and the generous Tiger fans for their overwhelming support of our mission," said Kirkpatrick.
According to Kirkpatrick, the Score Against Hunger campaign has raised more than $3.4 million in 13 years. Those funds have allowed the Food Bank to acquire more than 68 million pounds of food, which has in turn provided nearly 52 million meals for hungry Missourians.
"I'd like to thank our fans for answering the call," said MU Football Coach Gary Pinkel. "We live in the most affluent country in the world, so it's easy to forget that Missourians face the same hunger and nutritional problems as anyone else. It's very rewarding to see our fans respond to help put food on the table for so many deserving people," he said.
MORE ABOUT THE CENTRAL MISSOURI FOOD BANK
The Central Missouri Food Bank (CMFB) is a regional disaster and hunger relief network that acquires and distributes millions of pounds of donated food annually. CMFB distributes food to people in need through a network of 145 agencies in 33 Missouri counties. For more information, please visit the Food Bank's official website, at: http://www.centralmofoodbank.org/
