September is Hunger Action Month

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Nov 22, 2025 - 20:23

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September is Hunger Action Month
Meredith Knopp

September has arrived, marking the start of Hunger Action Month! You didn’t think I was going to say pumpkin spice, did you?

Unlike pumpkin spice, which comes and goes every fall, the real problem of food insecurity is something that knows no season. It is something that we all must find ways to address if we are going to end hunger, and the good news is that we can!

This year, we kicked off Hunger Action Month early with two huge, free food distributions to commemorate our 50^th anniversary.

Volunteers, farmers, and businesses from across the bi-state region came together on August 28 at the Worldwide Technology Raceway and on August 29 near Busch Stadium to provide food and other essential household staples to hundreds of families in our region. We saw first-hand what the power of collaboration can do by providing not only food, but HOPE to so many. The joy was evident on everyone’s faces during these events, and we are so grateful to our sponsors for making this happen. Learn more about our 50th anniversary and sponsors here.

Here at the St. Louis Area Foodbank, we are always listening to our neighbors and partners to learn how we can evolve and become a better resource for our communities. Knowing that 1 in 7 people in the bi-state region struggle with food insecurity, including 1 in 6 children, is simply unacceptable.

This year, we launched our new, 3-year strategic plan, with a laser focus on honestly and objectively looking at how we operate, critically challenging what we know (or think we know). We are committing to ourselves, and thereby to our community, to new ways of providing support to families facing hunger while actively pursuing and developing programs and strategies to shorten the lines for those in need.

This commitment to our community also places increased focus on food sourcing and procurement, but we aren’t looking for just “any” food. We are increasing our commitment to sourcing and distributing healthy and nutritious foods, including produce, protein, and dairy, to the 26 counties that we serve in Eastern Missouri and Southwestern Illinois. We began this journey months ago with the growth and expansion of our Grocery Rescue Program.

Last year, we were able to “rescue” over 12 million pounds of food from local grocery stores. This ensured that this fresh, wonderful food found its way to kitchen tables across the bi-state region, instead of taking up space in landfills. We are grateful for our many grocery partners, including Walmart, Fresh Thyme Market, Aldi, Sam’s Club, and Dollar General. If your grocery store, retail store, or small business would like to participate, please reach out to us at retail@stlfoodbank.org.

We are so grateful for our incredible partnerships that support our mission by providing food, funds, and friends (volunteers!) We simply cannot do this work without you! This September, during Hunger Action Month, several local businesses are stepping up to provide opportunities for everyone to get involved by supporting the Foodbank with fun activities throughout the month. Here are a few of our partners, and how they are choosing to do something to make a difference, by providing food and hope this month:

Hunger Action Month Cause Marketing Campaigns
Location	Date	Details
Fresh Thyme Market	9/9	Throughout September, visit a St. Louis area Fresh Thyme Market and round up the total of your purchase at the register to support programs at the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
Valvoline Instant Oil Change (48 St. Louis Metro Area Locations)	9/1 – 9/30	Food and funds drive – visit a location to drop off a donation of non-perishable food, or donate to the campaign at https://www.justgiving.com/page/valvoline- instant-oil-change
Simmons Bank (Food donation drive at 6 area locations)	9/1 – 9/30	Food drive – drop off a donation of non- perishable food at these Simmons Bank locations: · Wentzville – 985 Wentzville Parkway · St. Peters – 6100 Mexico Rd · Manchester – 611 Big Bend · Fenton – 1000 South Highway Drive · Concord – 5401 S. Lindbergh Blvd · Florissant – 1001 Howdershell Rd
Mai Lee (8396 Musick Memorial Dr, Brentwood, MO)	9/9	Dine at Mai Lee and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Foodbank.
Nudo House STL (11423 Olive Blvd, St. Louis MO AND 6105-A Delmar Blvd, St. Louis MO)	9/9	Both Nudo House STL restaurants will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Foodbank.
Up-Down Arcade Bar (405 N Euclid Street, St. Louis, MO)	9/9	Visit Up-Down Arcade Bar on Sept. 9, where 100% of token sales will go directly to the Foodbank.
Shake Shack Des Peres (13239 Manchester Road, Des Peres, MO)	9/16	Dine at Shake Shack Des Peres and 25% of qualiﬁed sales will be donated to the Foodbank. Customers must mention the “Donation Day” or use promo code DONATE at the time of ordering.
Katie’s Pizza & Pasta (all 3 St. Louis Locations)	9/23	Dine at any Katie’s Pizza & Pasta and proceeds from the day will be split between the Foodbank and two other non-profits.
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers (all 16 St. Louis Metro Area Locations)	9/30	Dine at an STL Metro Area Raising Cane’s and 15% of sales will be donated to the Foodbank. Customers must mention the Foodbank fundraiser or use promo code RCFUND96 at the time of ordering.

From Advocacy and Hope Notes to donating your time, volunteering, or simply dining out at one of our partners, we are grateful for your support and commitment to ending hunger in the bi-state region. We know that together we can make a difference, because while hunger can affect anyone, anyone can affect hunger!

To learn more about the St. Louis Area Foodbank, or Hunger Action Month, please visit: www.stlfoodbank.org.