SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — More than 60 local grocers partnered with Ozarks Food Harvest for the 23rd annual Check Out Hunger campaign, raising nearly $54,000 from customer donations to provide more than 215,000 meals across the Ozarks.
The fundraiser wrapped up at the end of December, but The Food Bank received checks from grocers throughout the first two months of 2022. Charitable donations tend to drop after the holidays, which makes this an ideal time for Ozarks Food Harvest to receive a financial boost.
“This donation comes at a perfect time as we continue to deal with the increased cost of food and supply chain issues,” said Denise Gibson, development and communication director at Ozarks Food Harvest. “We’re so thankful for our local grocers and community that help us ensure families in the Ozarks have food to put on their shelves.”
Check Out Hunger gives shoppers the opportunity to add a $1, $3 or $5 tax-free donation to their grocery bill at the register of participating retailers during the holiday season. Participating grocers include Apple Market, Country Mart, Harter House, Hy-Vee, King Cash Saver, King Food Saver, Price Cutter, Ramey, Rhodes Family Price Chopper, Town & Country Supermarket and Woods Supermarket.
Harter House stores in Hollister, Kimberling City, Nixa, Shell Knob, Springfield, and Strafford have been major contributors to The Food Bank’s Check Out Hunger campaign since 2008. In that time, they’ve helped provide more than 500,000 meals for children, families and seniors in southwest Missouri.
“We were proud to partner with Ozarks Food Harvest again for their annual Check Out Hunger campaign,” said Andrew Bettlach, owner of two Harter House grocery stores. “It’s a great way to build awareness and give back to the community, especially when so many families continue to face hunger.”
Since 1998, the Check Out Hunger campaign has raised more than $730,000 to help provide more than 3.3 million meals to The Food Bank’s network of 270 hunger-relief organizations.
