ST. LOUIS - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed deeply that equality began with the fight against hunger and poverty. His entire life was devoted to the fight for justice and equality starting with the right of every person to be free from hunger. Sadly, today, nearly 40 million people in America go to bed each night hungry with no idea how they will feed themselves or their children.
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The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and The St. Louis Area Foodbank are teaming up to celebrate Dr. King and continue his work of ending poverty and hunger with a special MLK community food distribution event on January 16, 2023. The drive-through-only event will run from 12 pm to 3 pm at the Urban League’s Regional Headquarters at 1408 North Kingshighway. Staging for cars is on Page Boulevard starting at Aubert and going east. A short presentation will be held at 11:15 A.M. featuring remarks from event partners. There will also be a special presentation by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. State Celebration Commission.
The Urban League expects over 2,000 families to participate in the event in which over 100,000 tons of food will be distributed including canned goods, meat, dairy, and fresh produce. Personal masks, sanitizer, toiletries, and household cleaning supplies will also be distributed. Additional event partners include the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. State Celebration Commission, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which is donating a tractor-trailer of food for the event.
“The Urban League is very fortunate to have such a strong relationship with The St. Louis Area Foodbank,” said Michael P. McMillan, President, and CEO of The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. “Because of their support, we have been able to consistently assist thousands of families facing food insecurity and together we are working on more permanent solutions to one of the most persistent problems in our community.”
“Our mission of building a stronger bi-state region would not be possible without partners like The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. We know that 1 in 9 people in the 26 counties we serve are food insecure but due to the current economic challenges countless others also struggle to have the nutritious food they need to thrive,” said Meredith Knopp, President, and CEO of the St. Louis Area Foodbank. “We are honored to have the opportunity to join our friends at The Urban League and feed our neighbors while celebrating the work of Dr. King. Together, we are building a pathway to nutritional security for all.”
