SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — In the past year, Ozarks Food Harvest provided 21 million meals to children, families and seniors facing hunger across southwest Missouri through its network of faith-based and community charities.
From July 2023 to June 2024, The Food Bank increased its distribution through their Mobile Food Pantry program, Weekend Backpack Program and partnerships with over 270 local charities spread across 28 counties. They also awarded their network over $400,000 in grants to help sustain and expand hunger-relief efforts across southwest Missouri.
More than 700,000 meals were distributed through their Mobile Food Pantry program to help feed more than 54,000 individuals facing hunger across the Ozarks. The Food Bank also spent more than $2 million in food purchases. In total, Ozarks Food Harvest has distributed more than 23 million pounds of food, including 5.2 million pounds of fresh produce.
“The demand for food assistance remains high heading into the holiday season,” said Kenny Ross, vice president of sales at Ross Construction Group and Ozarks Food Harvest’s board president. “The board of directors are proud to support Ozarks Food Harvest’s efforts and the increased investment necessary to support families in southwest Missouri.”
Ozarks Food Harvest’s Retail Pick-Up Program also rescued more than 7.9 million pounds of edible food from being sent to the landfill. The program coordinates pick-ups of food donations like fresh produce, frozen meat and dairy from more than 160 grocers every week.
According to Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap study, food insecurity in Ozarks Food Harvest’s service area has increased from 1 in 7 children and adults to 1 in 5 children and 1 in 6 adults. That’s higher than Missouri’s overall average of 1 in 7 people experiencing food insecurity.
“Rising costs in childcare, housing and food make it difficult for families in the Ozarks to put food on the table,” said Bart Brown, president/CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest. “At Ozarks Food Harvest, we remain committed to ensuring that families don’t have to choose between food and other essentials.”
Through its network of 270 charities, Ozarks Food Harvest serves more than 70,000 unduplicated children, families and seniors each month.
