Riedel Foundation matches $12,000 fundraiser for Hannibal Nutrition Center

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The George H. Riedel Foundation has matched $12,000 in proceeds from Basket Bingo held recently at the Hannibal Nutrition Center (HNC). The grant will help fund the Meals on Wheels program.

In a press release, HNC executive director Margee Tucker said, “Many senior citizens are struggling with food insecurity. It may be hard for some to understand, but we have seniors in our area who are starving. We have seen seniors who have lost their homes. The problem keeps getting larger, and we are trying to stretch our resources to be there for them.”

Tucker said the Nutrition Center’s average food bill is up by $10,000 a month, but state funding has not increased to offset the higher cost. The center has been relying on fundraisers and donations to make up the difference. They started a new fundraiser called Basket Bingo this summer, and it was a huge success. They brought it back in the fall, and it was an even bigger hit, raising $23,000 in one night.

“The Nutrition Center has always been good about fundraising,” Riedel trustee Bill Craigmiles said. “We like to award matching grants because that is a good way to double donations and to demonstrate community involvement. We’ve done this several times with the Nutrition Center, and they always surpass their goal.”

The Riedel Foundation awarded the Hannibal Nutrition Center about $125,000 in grants in the last five years which the center matched with donations. Combine that with an outright grant of $35,000 last year, it adds up to $285,000 in donations to the HNC from the Riedel Foundation and the community since 2019.