releases: http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=9fd9c3d3-2096-4c44-8706-4e85609fc40d
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=9fd9c3d3-2096-4c44-8706-4e85609fc40d | Columbia Daily Tribune: Sen. Blunt learns about local food bank | 2013-12-17 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Republican | House | MO | Roy Blunt | B000575 | www.blunt.senate.gov | legacy | Ashley Jost Food insecurity and the increased need to serve the working poor were among the issues U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt heard about in a visit to The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri on Monday afternoon. Blunt spent about 15 minutes talking with volunteers, employees and executives from the food bank before touring the facility and helping assemble a few Buddy Packs, packages of food sent home with children in need so they have something to eat over the weekend when they're not in school. Blunt toured the Ozark Food Bank in Springfield earlier in the day. Local food bank Executive Director Peggy Kirkpatrick said all politicians have a standing invitation to see what the operation does and learn about who it's serving. "I think it's important to understand what is really happening with their electorate," she said. "When they are out somewhere else, it's easy to get removed from day-to-day needs of your constituency." Kirkpatrick said the food bank is seeing an "astronomical increase" in people with jobs needing assistance. The organization has given out 22 percent more food compared to last year, Kirkpatrick said. Last year's distribution was 128 million pounds of food. During the meeting with food bank employees and Blunt, Kirkpatrick said the biggest challenge is getting people back to work. Blunt, a Republican, said the answer to the jobs issue is in private-sector job creation. After the tour, Blunt lauded the food bank's partnerships with corporate donors. Much of the food comes from Wal-Mart, General Mills and other distributors. The food bank acts as a wholesaler for 131 organizations, Kirkpatrick said. She expressed concerns that there isn't enough incentive for more companies to donate to the food bank, though the need is great in rural areas. "Metropolitan poverty and rural poverty are two different things," she said, adding that in metropolitan areas, there are not-for-profit organizations more likely and able to help. Read more here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |