Sioux Falls Sept. 11, 2009 – Midcontinent Communications announced today they presented a check for $10,000 to the Community Food Banks of South Dakota for the Backpack Program which provides food packs for children at risk in Sioux Falls.
This donation was made in conjunction with the 15th Annual MMI (Midcontinent Media, Inc) Golf Challenge held on September 2 at the Spring Creek Country Club. All proceeds after expenses went toward this gift.
“It is amazing how much the BackPack Program has helped so many of our children and families here in Sioux Falls already,” said Tom Simmons, senior vice president of public policy for Midcontinent. “We truly believe that the Food Bank does an outstanding job of administering this program and working with our school district to see that no student is overlooked. We applaud their efforts and thank our MMI Challenge sponsors for joining together to support this great initiative to help fight hunger in our community.”
To date, the MMI Challenge has raised $53,000 for local charities, Simmons said.
“We are so grateful for this generous gift,” said Food Bank Executive Director Matt Gassen. “This will have a phenomenal impact on our program and our students.”
The Backpack Program provides students with nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods for the weekend to have on hand until the school week resumes and the students have access to the district’s meal program again. The food is packaged and distributed on the last day of the school week so students are ensured meals on the weekends. Gassen said that they supplied more than 2400 packs per week last year.
“Statistics show that it is important that children receive proper nutrition in order to be ready to learn, especially in the early developmental stages in life,” Gassen said. “Our teachers are aware of the anxiety and apprehension some of these children feel at the end of the school week when they are approaching the weekend. We know that these kids are uncertain if there will be adequate food at home for some reason or another. We work closely with the schools to identify these kids.”
Midcontinent also announced they will give an additional $13,000 to six other Sioux Falls organizations this year through the Midcontinent Media Foundation, the charitable arm of the company. The following grants were approved on August 26:
Avera McKennan Foundation: Sioux Falls Head Start: $2,000
Friends of SD Public Broadcasting: $2,500
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls: $2,000
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: $2,500
South Dakota Lions Eye Bank- Sioux Falls: $2,500
Time 2 Shine Therapy (Therapeutic services for children ages 2-4): $1,500
Since 1987, the Midcontinent Media Foundation has contributed more than $2 million for non-profit causes and community projects throughout the Midcontinent service area in North and South Dakota and in Minnesota.
