93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri says anyone who is in need of food can get free food at their new Food Bank market location on Columbia’s Business Loop.
The food bank market replaces the central pantry on Big Bear. Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri president Lindsay Lopez tells 939 the Eagle that the name change is critical.
“We think that it’s important to have dignity in the approach that we use for serving 10,000 Boone County residents per month, and that’s part of the reason why we made the name change to the food bank market,” Ms. Lopez says.
The new Food Bank Market also has dedicated areas for nutrition education and has a demonstration kitchen. That’s a priority for Ms. Lopez.
“Food insecurity is defined as regularly lacking access to nutritious food. We know that if you are food insecure, you have higher incidents and chances of medical chronic illnesses and medical challenges that you’re dealing with. And so we are really committed to nutrition education to be able to help with that to really serve the whole person,” says Lopez.
Ms. Lopez, who’s celebrating her ninth anniversary with the food bank, tells 939 the Eagle that the Food Bank Market also has an on-site dietitian who’s available to answer questions and hand out recipe cards.
The food bank market, which is next to Columbia’s Parkade Center and Firestone, is open Tuesday-Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.
