REGINA SENCE JOINS SEMO FOOD BANK'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Southeast Missouri Food Bank is pleased to announce that Regina Sence, Market Grocery Manager for Walmart stores in Southeast Missouri, was elected to Southeast Missouri Food Bank's Board of Directors.

"Regina has been an integral part of helping us roll out Walmart's Zero Waste Program in 2009 and we look forward to benefiting from her insights and experience as a member of the Food Bank's board," said Karen Green, Executive Director of Southeast Missouri Food Bank. "Regina will be our eighth board member, and I think she will add a new dimension to our already lively board discussions."

"I really enjoy working with the Zero Waste Program that Walmart has established with Southeast Missouri Food Bank, and I love the new 'BackPacks for Friday' child-feeding program," said Regina Sence. "I am always looking for ways to help out in the community as much as possible, and I feel privileged to join this exciting and dynamic team. I am looking forward to working closely with Karen and the board during the next phase of the Food Bank's growth."

As Market Grocery Manager, Regina is responsible for the grocery side of thirteen Walmart stores in Southeast Missouri. She has worked for the company for twenty-two years, holding various management positions since 1993 from Nevada to Massachusetts. Born in Poplar Bluff, Regina returned to the area four years ago to accept her current position.

Every week, millions of customers visit Walmart stores, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club locations across America or log on to its online store. The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Walmart is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods and last year gave more than $378 million to local communities in the United States.

Southeast Missouri Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, distributes food to a network of almost 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 over 4.7 million pounds of food to hungry families in 2009 thus far, an increase of over 60% from 2008.

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.