Kip Kendrick, Presiding Commissioner

Justin Aldred, District I Commissioner

Janet Thompson, District II Commissioner

Roger B. Wilson

Boone County Government Center

801 E. Walnut St., Rm 333

Columbia, MO 65201-7732

(573) 886-4305 (573) 886-4311

Boone County
Commission

Boone County News Release

Boone County Impact Collective Launches CoMoHelps Emergency Relief Challenge in Response to SNAP Disruption

COLUMBIA, Mo. (October 31, 2025) - Beginning November 1, the federal government shutdown will halt SNAP benefits, leaving thousands of mid-Missouri families facing immediate food insecurity.

In response, leaders from Boone County, City of Columbia, Community Foundation of Central Missouri, Heart of Missouri United Way, and Veterans United Foundation have reactivated CoMoHelps—a centralized emergency relief portal—to coordinate funding and support for those impacted. Local 501(c)(3) nonprofits providing essential human services such as food, housing, utilities, or other basic needs are encouraged to apply for CoMoHelps funding if they are affected by the shutdown or anticipate serving additional individuals during this time.

More than 15,000 Boone County residents rely on SNAP, and over 15% of our neighbors already report experiencing food insecurity. But the crisis extends beyond food: lost paychecks, paused federal grants, and disrupted housing programs will compound the hardship for many.

To act swiftly, the City and County have redirected ARPA funds to support the Food Bank. In addition, the Boone County Impact Collective has committed $130,000 in immediate funding through CoMoHelps. While this is a strong start, it won’t be enough.

We’re calling on our community to act now. The Boone County Impact Collective has stepped up with $130,000 in emergency funding—but we cannot meet this moment alone. We challenge businesses, civic groups, and individuals across mid-Missouri to match or exceed this investment. Every dollar given through https://comohelps.org will go directly toward helping our neighbors weather this crisis.

This is not just a donation—it’s a declaration that no one in our community should face hunger or hardship alone.

Mid-Missouri has always stepped up in times of need. This is one of those times.

For questions or to learn more, please reach out to any member of the Boone County Impact Collective:
Talia Jackson, Heart of Missouri United Way, tjackson@uwheartmo.org
Erik Morse, Veterans United Foundation – emorse@veteransunited.com
Joanne Nelson, Boone County Community Services – jnelson@boonecountymo.org
Eric Sappington, Community Foundation of Central Missouri, esappington@cfcmfoundation.org
Kari Utterback, City of Columbia, kari.utterback@como.gov

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