Union Pacific Gives Back

SEMO Food Bank Executive Director Karen Green and Union Pacific Director of Public Affairs in Missouri Ben Jones

Union Pacific recently donated $5,000 to be used in support of Southeast Missouri Food Bank's services. Union Pacific is North America's premier railroad franchise, covering 23 states across the western two-thirds of the United States.

"It's during tough times like these, and throughout our history, Union Pacific has assisted the communities we operate in to help them through times of need," said Ben Jones, Union Pacific Railroad's director of public affairs for Missouri. "We are pleased to be able to once again help our neighbors."

"This year has been a phenomenal year in the battle against hunger in Southeast Missouri. We have established the 'BackPacks for Friday' child-feeding program and the area's first Southeast Missouri Mobile Food Pantry," stated Karen Green, Executive Director of Southeast Missouri Food Bank. "The key is community support, such as that being pledged by Union Pacific, to enable us to help all of our hungry neighbors throughout Southeast Missouri."

Southeast Missouri Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, distributes food to a network of over 150 non-profit hunger relief agencies in sixteen counties of Southeast Missouri. Current statistics show six of these counties are the poorest in the state of Missouri. Approximately 64,000 people residing within the 9,460 square miles Southeast Missouri Food Bank serves are living below the poverty level, 35% of whom are children. Families served include senior citizens, the disabled, the homeless, victims of domestic violence and the working poor. Southeast Missouri Food Bank has distributed almost 4 million pounds of food to hungry families in 2009 thus far, an increase of over 40% from 2008.

Union Pacific Corporation owns one of America's leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers and provides Americans with a fuel-efficient, environmentally responsible and safe mode of freight transportation. Union Pacific's diversified business mix includes agricultural products, automotive, chemicals, energy, industrial products and Intermodal. The railroad emphasizes excellent customer service and offers competitive routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways. Union Pacific connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major gateways to Mexico, making it North America's premier rail franchise.

For more information, or if you would like to volunteer or make a donation, please visit SEMO Food Bank's website www.semofoodbank.org or call 573-651-0400. Follow us on Twitter and FaceBook!