Ozarks Food Harvest

Thank you to the Ozarks Health Advocacy Foundation for your $5,000 donation to the Weekend Backpack Program! We're so grateful to you for helping our kids get the nutritious meals they need to thrive since 2011.

O'Reilly has been an invaluable partner in the fight to end hunger in the Ozarks, including donating their time to help sort and pack food for their neighbors facing hunger. This week, O'Reilly Auto Parts staff helped provide more than 17,000 meals during their volunteer session! Thank you!

According to Feeding America's newest Map the Meal Gap study, hunger rates in southwest Missouri have risen from 1 in 7 people facing hunger to 1 in 5 children and 1 in 6 adults now worried about where their next meal is coming from. Many people like Elaine are visiting food pantries for the very first time to get back on their feet as they deal with increased costs of food, housing and childcare. Together, we can help our neighbors like Elaine find the food they need to get through tough times.

Thank you, Elaine, for sharing your story with us. Community support is crucial right now as the number of people seeking food assistance from our network exceeds the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your gift today will be the boost our neighbors need to thrive. Visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate to make your gift now.

Fighting hunger takes all of us. Place an order before 8/25 on DoorDash with promo code PROJECTDASH and they'll donate $3 per order to Feeding America, United Way and Meals on Wheels America to broaden food access in our communities. Learn more here: about.doordash.com/en-us/impact/project-dash

Are you an artist who makes bowls? We're accepting bowls for our Empty Bowls event until September 13th. Please consider donating one or more for this event, and the proceeds from your creations will help support local children facing hunger through our Weekend Backpack Program. Last year, this event raised more than $6,400, which helped provide nearly 26,000 meals for children facing hunger over the weekends. Contact Ali Pool at [email protected] to donate or ask questions.

Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org/events/empty-bowls-2

You may know that Ozarks Food Harvest is the only food bank for southwest Missouri. But what does that mean? How does a food bank work? Swipe through to find out.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU and congratulations to Amy Viets-Cooper for volunteering 1,000 HOURS with us!!! We celebrated with root beer, pizza and Amy's own apple on our Gift of Time Tree.

Thank you so much to Walmart, Sam's Club, and everyone who donated to this year's Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign! You helped raise $137,849 to end hunger in our communities. That's more than 413,000 meals! We couldn't do this important work to without the generosity of our community.

A bittersweet surprise celebration for our amazing volunteer, Alyssa Nanneman, as she heads off to college this year. Alyssa has volunteered 158 hours with Ozarks Food Harvest — and even brought her high school class along, too! In honor of her achievements at Ozarks Food Harvest, we're awarding Alyssa with the bronze level President's Volunteer Service Award. Alyssa, thank you so much for all you've done to support your neighbors facing hunger. We'll miss seeing you at The Food Bank, but we know you're going to do amazing things in college and beyond!

Here's a cool opportunity for your business to be a part of Hunger Action Month! We're looking for donations to our Go Orange Auction this September to raise funds for the Weekend Backpack Program. You can donate items, experiences, gift cards or service vouchers to this online auction knowing your gift is feeding children facing hunger. Contact Allie Smith at [email protected] to donate and learn more.

Why is it called the Go Orange Auction? Orange is the color of Hunger Action Month, an annual nationwide campaign to raise awareness about hunger and inspire action. You can show support for hunger relief by wearing orange on Go Orange Day, Tuesday, September 17 — the day before the auction starts!

Learn more about the Weekend Backpack Program here: https://ozarksfoodharvest.org/programs/backpack/

Learn more about Hunger Action Month here: https://ozarksfoodharvest.org/events/hunger-action-month-2024-presented-by-central-bank/

💚 Green flag 💚 They take you to Good in the Hood Bingo to help fight hunger in the Ozarks.

Join us tomorrow, August 8th, at 4 By 4 Brewing Company's Fremont Hills location for bingo at 6:30p.m. A portion of sales from specially selected beer Midwest Secret will benefit Ozarks Food Harvest, and keep an eye out for a generous donation match from Paul Mueller that will double your impact!

Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org/events

We're seeking sponsors for our 26th annual Hungerthon with iHeartRadio Springfield! Hungerthon is one of our biggest fundraisers for the Weekend Backpack Program, which provides kids facing hunger with a bag of nutritious meals and snacks to take home every weekend of the school year.

As a sponsor, we'll use your gift as an on-air donation match to encourage other listeners to support children facing hunger. Your sponsorship could help listeners double or even triple their impact! Last year, Hungerthon raised more than $252,000 to sponsor 703 kids in the Weekend Backpack Program for an entire school year!

For sponsorship information, contact Sarah Green at [email protected] or donate now at ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate/hungerthon

Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org/events/hungerthon-2024-with-iheartradio-springfield-2

Remembering Ozarks Food Harvest in your will or trust is one of the most meaningful ways to leave a legacy of hope. We are deeply honored by the compassionate folks who choose to donate a portion of their estate to help their neighbors facing hunger. These gifts leave an impact for generations to come.

You can learn more about planned giving at ozarksfoodharvest.org/planned-giving. Thank you for considering Ozarks Food Harvest in your legacy ❤️

What a huge turnout for the Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, MO Back to School Bash! Hundreds of families stopped by our booth to learn about food resources that will help their children thrive this school year. Thank you to Vital Farms for providing the free eggs, butter and backpacks that we distributed to families. When children are fed, futures are nourished.

Are you looking for food assistance? Visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/need-help to find a food pantry or meal program near you.

What are you doing this Thursday and why is it Good in the Hood Bingo at 4 By 4 Brewing - Galloway?

Bingo starts at 6:30 p.m. Join us to have fun and help fight hunger! Be sure to enjoy a glass of Midwest Secret, the specially selected beer that benefits Ozarks Food Harvest, and keep an eye out for a generous donation match from Paul Mueller that will triple your impact!

Can't make it this Thursday? 4 By 4 is hosting another bingo night at their Fremont Hills location on August 8th!

Learn more at https://ozarksfoodharvest.org/events/

Ozarks Food Harvest has partnered with the Mountain Grove Love Center for more than three decades. Check out this month's agency spotlight to learn how we're working together to end hunger in Wright County.

Read the full story here: ozarksfoodharvest.org/decades-long-partnership-proves-the-power-of-working-together

Stay cool and fight hunger!

Summer's not over yet! Make the most of these summer days (and nights) by checking out our Summer Harvest events. Your participation will help families keep meals on the table this summer so they can start the school year strong.

Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org/events

Thank you to Bank of America for their generous $10,000 donation to help fight hunger in our community! This gift will help provide 30,000 meals for local children, families and seniors facing hunger.

It's time for our weekly thank-you's.

Thank you to Cox Health IT Department for helping provide 7,815 meals at your volunteer session last week! And a special thank you and congratulations to Mary Magnus for reaching 500 volunteer hours at The Food Bank!

We ❤️ having volunteers like you.

Make a splash in the fight to end hunger with Splash & Sizzle this summer!

Now through September 2nd, between 5:30 and 6:30pm daily, admission to all outdoor Springfield-Greene County Park Board pools is $1 or free with one canned food item donation per person.

Learn more about Splash & Sizzle and other special discount days at ozarksfoodharvest.org/events/splash-sizzle-2024

We've been thinking lately about our very first gleaning partner, Fassnight Creek Farm.

Our Full Circle Gardens program has been working with Dan at Fassnight Creek Farm for 10 years. This partnership kicked off a thriving gleaning program that has now expanded to nearly 50 other partner farms and gardens and provided around 69,000 pounds of produce for our neighbors in need last year. Since our partnership first began, Fassnight Creek Farms has donated more than 50,000 pounds of fresh produce to the community.

Thank you Dan and everyone involved in gleans at Fassnight Creek Farms! You're helping rescue thousands of pounds of excess produce that we can share with people who need it.

Introducing the seven generous volunteers who've been selected for their passion and dedication to be a part of Ozarks Food Harvest’s first Volunteer Ambassador Program.

Volunteer Ambassadors help Ozarks Food Harvest engage the community by serving as representatives at community events, speaking engagements and volunteer sessions. One of the best ways to end hunger in southwest Missouri is to raise awareness of the issue, and we know Betsy and Mario Esquivel, Mary Keidle, Mary Magnus, Cindy McDonough, Amy Viets-Cooper and Lona Wait have what it takes be representatives for The Food Bank.

(Not pictured: Betsy Esquivel, Mario Esquivel, Cindy McDonough)

Learn more here: https://ozarksfoodharvest.org/introducing-ozarks-food-harvests-first-volunteer-ambassadors/

FREE resources you need to start your school year right. Free for Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, MO families.

The SPS Back to School Bash is back!🎒

📅 Saturday, July 27
🕤 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
📍 Springfield Expo Center, 635 E. St. Louis St.

More info at www.sps.org/bash

TAG a friend in a comment below to invite them, and SHARE to spread the word!

Thank you to Chick-fil-A, via Feeding America, for their donation of $25,000 to the Weekend Backpack Program! This gift will help provide more than 17,000 weekend meals to Springfield students!

A recent grant of $30,000 from the John Deere Foundation, thanks to Feeding America, will provide 90,000 meals to children and families across southwest Missouri! As the demand for food assistance remains high, this gift will provide much-needed nutrition to our neighbors in need. Thank you, John Deere, for your continued support of families facing hunger!

Voting has been extended to 11:59 p.m. tonight! Get your votes in before midnight, and be sure to spread the word!

We're thrilled to announce that Ozarks Food Harvest has once again been nominated for the Charity Navigator Community Choice Awards! But we need your vote today to secure this award! By casting your vote, you're not just helping Ozarks Food Harvest, you're helping our cause. Thank you for being a supporter and advocate of our mission!

Voting ends July 17th. Use the link to vote, and don't forget to spread the word to your friends, family and colleagues.

Charity Navigator is America's largest and most trusted independent charity evaluator. This accomplishment means supporters like you can know you're contributing to one of the most effective hunger-relief charities in the nation.

Vote here: charitynavigator.typeform.com/to/kS6452iY =Ozarks%20Food%20Harvest

There's still time to fight hunger with Incredible Pizza! Bring one or more nonperishable food items into Incredible Pizza in Springfield during the month of July and you can use the coupon linked below to receive a free attraction towards your visit.

Coupon and more info here: incrediblepizza.com/ofh-food-drive

Springfield's Incredible Pizza Company

Students from the Missouri Agribusiness Academy recently visited our Food Bank Farm to learn about food banking, hunger relief, composting, gardening best practices, sustainability and more! Farmers and growers are the backbone of our food systems and play a critical role in the fight to end hunger. Our staff loved hosting this educational field trip for future agriculturists.

We were especially touched by the thank you notes MAbA students sent to the Full Circle Gardens team. Thank you for helping us grow food for our neighbors in need! These students give us hope for the future!

Missouri Department of Agriculture