Sikeston, MO -  The Missouri State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Missouri NAACP) in collaboration with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating baby products, diapers, and food commodities to Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium (MBRC) to distribute based upon the ongoing crisis of poor and inadequate maternal health resources in the region and the recent issues caused by the closure of two large employers.

This collaboration will provide much-needed maternal and infant wellness commodities to 600 families enrolled in MBRC programs as well as food assistance to 2,000 individuals in the area. 

MBRC is a not-for-profit community-based organization located in the southeast corner of Missouri. For more than a decade, MBRC has participated in the Maternal Child & Family Health Federal Healthy Start program to improve outcomes for families with expecting parents and newborns. This includes a doula training program, providing supplies and education to expecting parents, and support for the family during the first two years of a child’s life.

The first shipments are expected to be delivered over an extended period of time.

During the planning for shipments related to maternal health, Missouri NAACP identified an urgent need for food supplies after the sudden closing of the Magnitude 7 aluminum smelter and the earlier closing of the Tyson Chicken plant. To meet this unexpected need in the area, The Church of Jesus Christ recently sent a semi-truck of food to the SE Missouri Food Bank. 

In 2018, The Church of Jesus Christ and national leadership of NAACP called for greater civility and racial harmony. The Church of Jesus Christ strives to care for those in need by engaging in humanitarian efforts, including prioritizing the care of women and children. 

The Church gives assistance without regard to race, religious affiliation or nationality. Aid is based on the core principles of personal responsibility, community support, self-reliance and sustainability.