American Family Insurance issued the following announcement on Aug. 23.

Donations from agents and staff across the Show Me State, and the American Family Insurance Dream Foundation’s Agent Matching Gift Program, help fund 100,000 meals for Missouri children in need.

American Family Insurance agent Karen Chaney in Cameron, Mo. understands the importance of listening to her customers.

In February, one of Chaney’s customers – a long-time family friend – approached her about supporting Missouri FFA’s Food Insecurity Day.

He told her about the 2018 Drive to Feed Kids, an event sponsored by Missouri Farmers Care Foundation. According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap, more than 240,000 children in the Show Me State don’t know where their next meal will come from.

The seed had been planted.

“I’m very active in our Cameron FFA chapter so I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact the FFA has,” Chaney said.

She and fellow agent Mack Molloy in Carrollton, Mo. reached out to their colleagues asking for financial support. The response was overwhelming.

They received 62 donations totaling $7,240.

Contributing agents also submitted their donation requests to the American Family Dreams Foundation Agent Matching Gift Program. This year, for every $1 donated, the foundation matches $2 to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations.

That brought American Family’s total contribution to $21,720.

The 2018 Drive to Feed Kids occurred at the Missouri State Fair Aug. 14.

More than 600 Missouri FFA members, along with nine Missouri agents and four Commercial-Farm/Ranch division employees, packaged 100,800 nutritious meals.

“Hunger is something we don’t often think about, especially with children,” said Molloy. “And, any time we can give back to our communities it is a great thing.”

American Family Insurance partners with the National FFA Organization. Chaney and Molloy hope this event spurs more agents to work with local FFA advisers.

“I’m talking with my chapter about taking what we learned from this large event and doing a smaller event in our community,” said Chaney.

Original source: https://newsroom.amfam.com/missouri-agents-band-together-to-fight-childhood-hunger/