Midwest Food Bank had a very special visitor today. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, one of the most decorated female athletes in Olympic track and field history, was here!
As the founder of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation in her hometown of East St. Louis, Jackie and MFB founder, David Kieser, are working out the details of a partnership where MFB can supply food for the foundation to distribute. An outreach arm of MFB’s Backpack program, the initial plan is to provide food for children to take home on Fridays to sustain them through the weekend.
The JJK Foundation serves 2,200 children in the East St, Louis area. In addition to a wide range of sport and exercise opportunitues, children can participate in summer camps, an after school program, and “Winning in Life” (the foundation’s cornerstone), a curriculum designed by Joyner-Kersee to teach youth the skills necessary to be successful in school and life. The foundation also offers help to seniors, including a safe place to workout and exercise.
“God is at the center of everything we do,” says Jackie. “The partnership with Midwest Food Bank is not an opportunity, but a blessing. With their help, JJK Foundation can continue to uplift the community.”
“Working with Jackie Joyner Kersee and her foundation is a natural fit for Midwest Food Bank,” says David Kieser. “We can do great things when we put our minds together.”
The first semi load of food has not been scheduled, but could happen as soon as January. “The hurdle has to be pretty high before Jackie and I say we can’t get over it,” says Kieser in reference to getting food delivered.
