The city of Columbia and Boone County have each doubled the amount of money they are providing to the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, as food stamp funding ran out this weekend due to the federal government shutdown.
The city of Columbia and Boone County have both announced amendments to their existing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) contracts to allocate $100,000 in emergency funding to help people with food stamps. Columbia and Boone County are providing $50,000 each.
The emergency allocation will go directly to the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri to help provide immediate food assistance for individuals and families impacted by the pause in benefits. Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe says many households in our community depend on SNAP to meet their most basic needs.
Meantime, the city of Columbia, Boone County, Community Foundation of Central Missouri, the Heart of Missouri United Way and Veterans United Foundation are reactivating the CoMoHelps initiative to collect and distribute food donations where they are needed most.