Hunger awareness at food bank

To the editor:On June 5 we invite you to join Americans nationwide in observing Hunger Awareness Day in remembrance of the more than 35 million people in the United States who are living on the brink of hunger.

Hunger affects working families who are forced to make choices between food and basic necessities. It strikes people with sudden illness or new responsibility to care for an additional family member. It does not discriminate against age, race, gender or ethnicity.

Bootheel Food Bank has been helping the Southeast Missouri counties of Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunkllin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne feed impoverished families since 1985. But many of you don't know who we are and what we are doing to combat hunger.

We invite you to a Hunger Awareness Day open house at Bootheel Food Bank, 104 Keystone Drive, Sikeston, Mo., on June 5. Visitors are welcome from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to tour our facilities, meet the staff and register for prizes.

KAREN GREEN, Executive Director, Bootheel Food Bank, Sikeston, Mo.