Alton-Based Organization Hopes to Collect 4,000 Pounds of Food for Community

ALTON - MustacheMarch4PD will host their annual food drive to commemorate Police Officer Blake Snyder’s birthday.

From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, community members can stop by Alton Physical Therapy to drop off food donations, toiletries, gift cards and cash. The donations will be distributed to local organizations. Tina Bennett with MM4PD explained that their goal is to honor Snyder, who was killed in the line of duty, and remember his selflessness.

“If it’s up to us, his memory will never die,” Bennett said. “It started mostly just because Blake was so generous, helping others, helping strangers, giving food away, buying people lunch that needed it. So we thought, what a better way to honor him than having this food drive around his birthday?”

Those who wish to donate can come to Alton Physical Therapy’s parking lot on Nov. 8, where volunteers will be present to unload your car and take your donation. Bennett noted they are also accepting donations via Venmo and PayPal.

All donations will be distributed to the Women’s Ministry Center, Jersey County Churches United, Crisis Food Center and the Alton Boys and Girls Club.

The food drive has been an annual tradition for MM4PD, but this year, they hope to break their previous records and completely fill a large trailer with 4,000 pounds of donations. Bennett thanked Lance DeMond for donating the trailer and Alton Physical Therapy for allowing the use of their space.

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MM4PD has also decided to partner with local schools. The organization is collaborating with school resource officers (SROs) to promote the food drive in their schools and encourage students to donate. They plan to “pack the police car” with donations.

“We want the kids to be involved. We want the kids to see the police officers as their friends,” Bennett explained. “It’s real important to us to keep that communication open between the community and the police officers, and what better way than to start off with students, middle school students, high school students, just to give them a positive rapport with the officers, plus supporting a good cause?”

MM4PD was founded after Snyder’s death to build relationships between community members and police officers. The organization supports several area police departments throughout the year.

Their annual food drive is a way to give back to the community and remember Snyder’s generosity. Bennett noted that Snyder’s mother still frequently hears stories about ways her son helped the St. Louis community. MM4PD encourages police officers to emulate him.

“We always say, be like Blake,” Bennett said. “There are many officers in our community that try to be like Blake, and by doing this and working with the kids, it just keeps them motivated. They see a positive part of their job. Maybe not every day do they get to see that, but this really is a good, positive thing for the officers to participate in. That’s a great thing.”

For more information about the food drive and MM4PD’s work, visit the official MustacheMarch4PD Facebook page or website. You can also donate online or through the organization's Venmo or PayPal accounts.

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