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"Helping those that feed us, to help those who need food."
That's the premise behind Feed #JCMO, a campaign started by two local businesses to help support Jefferson City restaurants and feed the hungry during the coronavirus pandemic.
Since many restaurants have lost revenue because of COVID-19, ARC Media and Bag and Reload are raffling off gift cards to Jefferson City restaurants.
All of the proceeds will go to the Samaritan Center and Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri.
"Being at home with a lot of free time and social distancing, we thought it would be good to give back to businesses that are struggling, especially restaurants because of no one coming in, and then for people who may not have food during this hard time," said Ethan Johnson, co-owner of Bag and Reload.
Gus Wagner, partner founder of ARC Media, said the campaign is a way for the businesses to support their friends and neighbors.
"These are folks who are employers in our community, and the employees that work for these businesses, whether they're chains or local, they're our neighbors," he said. "Some of them may be in great need, and we don't even know it, so we want to try and help everybody."
Raffle tickets cost $5 for one, $20 for five and $100 for 25.
Purchased raffle tickets don't expire and will remain active until they are drawn or the raffle ends.
People can buy raffle tickets at feedjcmo.com.
Wagner said they plan to have a drawing every weekday and will continue the raffle until they run out of gift cards.
The two businesses purchased about $2,000 worth of gift cards to raffle off to community members. The owners hope residents will donate gift cards to help keep the raffle going.
If people want to donate gift cards or if any businesses want to join the campaign, they can contact Wagner at [email protected].
Founded by Wagner and Andy Neidert, ARC Media develops communication plans and partnerships for electric cooperatives.
Started by three Jefferson City teenagers - Johnson, his younger brother, Graham, and Harper Neidert - last fall, Bag and Reload sells outdoor gear.
"If we can just give back to the community after they showed us so much support, it would mean a lot to us," Johnson said.