On Nov. 17, M&I Bank employees took turns collecting nonperishable food and cash donations from customers, who could donate on behalf of their favorite school: University of Missouri, University of Kansas or Kansas State University. Cheerleaders and Willie the Wildcat from K-State and KU cheerleaders directed drivers to volunteers at the bank.

“KU came out on top. We had fun with it,” Chambers said. “We had more than 70 percent participation (from employees) in some form or another.”

All 16 area M&I banks participated, but the focus remained with their Plaza branch, M&I headquarters. Chambers said the bank added an online component, tacklehunger.com, for cash donations.

M&I partnered with radio stations Mix 93.3 FM and WHB Sports 810 Kansas City, which held live remotes in the bank’s conference room.

Ellen Feldhausen, Harvesters communications director, said KU collected 6,330 meals. MU placed second with 6,294 meals, K-State ranked third with 5,497 meals and another 5,850 meals were collected as general donations.

“It gave people a reason to support their schools and do a really important thing in the community,” she said. “It was the common goal to feed the hungry.”

Feldhausen said M&I employees showed a lot of enthusiasm in spite of the rainy day and raised a total of 25,230 meals for Harvesters.

“That’s huge for us,” she said. “This drive is very important.”

Feldhausen said the need to provide food for Kansas City’s hungry is greater than ever, in light of the recession. She said many of the nonprofit agencies through which Harvesters distributes food are seeing new faces in line this year.

She said those who have lost their jobs, and in some cases their homes, are asking for help for the first time.

“These are our neighbors, just like you and me,” Feldhausen said.

Harvesters’ network includes more than 550 nonprofit agencies throughout a 26-county area, including emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s homes, homes for the mentally disabled and shelters for battered persons. The network provides food assistance to nearly 60,000 people each week.

Feldhausen said Harvesters expects the need for food distribution to grow to 35 million pounds meals during their 2010-11 fiscal year compared to 32.5 million this year, a 25 percent increase.

“We are seeing a record number of people to request food, more than any year in our 38-year history,” she said.

Feldhausen said Harvesters counts on the generosity of community support and encourages people to get involved with the organization.

To donate, schedule a food drive or volunteer with Harvesters, call 929-3000 or go to www.harvesters.org.