For 42 years, Ritenour Co-Care has served as a pillar of stability in St. Louis County, ensuring that families in crisis don’t just get food, but get the food they need. Unlike traditional food pantries that hand out pre-packed boxes, we operate a client-choice model, meaning families shop for groceries just like they would in a supermarket—but free of charge.
This dignified, choice-based approach ensures that every person leaves with food they will actually eat, reducing waste and empowering families to make their own decisions.
In 2024, we:
- Distributed over 1.5 million pounds of food; and
- Served 54,278 duplicated individuals.
But the crisis is deepening and we are struggling to keep up.
In just the first four weeks of 2025, we:
- Served 3,877 families, averaging 158 families per day that we were open;
- Hit an all-time record of serving 220 families in a single day in January; and
- Increased our purchase of dairy and proteins as donations continue to decline.
We are doing everything we can—but we need help.
Please consider making your donation of $100, $250 or anything you can to help us feed our neighbors in need!