Riedel Foundation awards $28,600 in Christmas surprise grants

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Riedel Foundation wrapped up its 2024 giving season with surprise gifts to three non-profit agencies that provide food for people in Hannibal.

The Hannibal Nutrition Center, Harvest Outreach, and The Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri all received end-of-year grants.

At the annual Hannibal Nutrition Center Christmas Dinner on Thursday the Riedel Foundation surprised HNC Administrator Margee Tucker with a $14,300 check for the Meals on Wheels program.

“This is just the best kind of Christmas gift,” Tucker said. “With food prices the way they are, this has
been a hard year for us. And it’s been a hard year for our seniors who live on a fixed income. As the
costs at the grocery store went up, the number of clients we serve went up too. Now we are trying to
make ends meet with higher food costs and more people needing food.”

Tucker said the center is spending about $10,000 more each month on food.

The HNC was awarded a $12,000 matching grant earlier this year for Basket Bingo. They ended up
raising about $24,000 at that event.

“We thought the additional $14,000 award would be an extra pat on the back and a nice Christmas gift to seniors,” said Riedel Trustee Michael Bukstein. “Mr. Riedel got Meals on Wheels when he was alive and was a big supporter of the program.”

Each year, the Riedel Foundation has a target amount for grant awards. This year, the foundation gave
out more than $314,000 in grants to non-profit organizations that serve Hannibal residents. With the
end of the year looming, the foundation had $28,600 available to give.

“We talked among ourselves and decided that we wanted to concentrate our end-of-year giving on
agencies that supply the basic need of food,” Bukstein said.

In addition to the $14,300 gift to the HNC, trustees also awarded $7,150 to Harvest Outreach, whose
Loaves and Fishes program provides a hot supper every weekday to anyone who needs it. The remaining
$7,150 went to The Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri. They supply the food pantries in
Marion County. The Food Bank received a grant earlier in the year for $7,500.

Also in December, the Riedel Foundation funded Christmas Food Boxes that the Salvation Army
provided for families in need. Part of the $15,000 grant to the Salvation Army also helped stock the food
pantry.