Los Angeles, CA. . . November 8, 2007 -- MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger today announced a total of $32,000 in grants to three Missouri hunger-relief agencies.

A $12,000 grant to the Missouri Rural Crisis Center supports the 10-chapter food cooperative network for farm families in need; a $10,000 grant to the Migrant Farmworkers Project in Kansas City provides food assistance to hundreds of farmworkers and their families; and a $10,000 grant to the Redemptorist Social Services Center in Kansas City aids in the provision of food, clothing, and case management to hundreds of seniors.

Nearly 12 percent of Missouri households are food insecure, meaning that they have insufficient financial resources to meet basic nutritional needs. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, over 35 million Americans, including more than 12 million children, are hungry or on the edge of hunger.

In 1985, MAZON was founded as a national nonprofit organization that raises funds from the Jewish community and allocates them to organizations that alleviate and prevent hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds.

MAZON granted a total of $2,050,000 to 157 hunger relief organizations in the United States, Israel and other countries this fall.

“For too many Americans, hunger is a debilitating daily struggle,” Dr. H. Eric Schockman, president of MAZON, said. “MAZON is honored to partner with anti-hunger leaders across the country as they stand up and make a difference for millions of hungry families.”

Since 1986, MAZON has granted over $47 million in support of anti-hunger programs and advocacy working to end hunger and supply aid to needy families throughout the United States, Israel and other countries.

For further information on MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, please visit www.mazon.org.