February 2019
harvest time
Ozarks Food HArvest – The food BAnk
Newsletter from the o’reilly center for hunger relief
“When your entire paycheck is literally gone after paying bills, you have no money left for gas or groceries. ” - Melissa, Ozarks Food Harvest volunteer and food pantry recipient
The Reality of Hunger for Hardworking Families Melissa Butrick has a heart for serving the community. For many years, she spent hours volunteering each week, donated to local charities and even ran the food pantry at her church. But after a difficult divorce and move to Missouri, everything changed. Melissa made the move to the Springfield area from Maryland in 2016 to live near her best friend. She got a job and found a place to live but soon realized that she wasn’t able to pay all of her bills and have enough money left for groceries each month. She started using her credit card to purchase food. “A credit card is just another bill I can’t pay at the end of the month,” she shared. “When your entire paycheck is literally gone after paying bills, you have no money left for gas or groceries. I was borrowing $20 here and there from a couple friends, but I knew I couldn’t do that forever.” Throughout her eighteen years of marriage, Melissa didn’t have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck. She and her exhusband both had well-paying jobs and could easily afford everything they needed.
ozarksfoodharvest.org
“I’ve always been mindful of money, but I never had to live within a budget, and I never really wanted for anything,” she said. “I’ve always paid my bills on time and in full, too. That’s just how I was raised.” To help make ends meet, Melissa explored her options and discovered Bread of Life food pantry at Marshfield Christian Church, where she now receives food once a month. “I’ve always been generous and helpful, so to be on the other side of the equation is really weird,” she said. As an associate at for an RV dealer in Strafford, Melissa earns just over the maximum salary allowed to qualify for SNAP benefits. The food she receives from Bread of Life lasts her most of the month. Thanks to the food pantry and a little bit of help from her friends and neighbors, Melissa rarely has to go without food. She now uses her credit card as a “last resort” and saves it for emergencies and vet visits for her three dogs. In order to give back, Melissa currently volunteers in Ozarks Food Harvest’s warehouse
and at the C-Street Connect food pantry at Crimson House. She enjoys giving her time because she knows it helps people who face the same realities she does. “I hear stories from people that make a quarter of what I make, and they’re trying to do the same things I am—pay rent, make car payments, work, feed their kids and all that,” she said. “They’re doing it with a lot less than I make, and it hurts my heart.” People across Missouri, even those with fulltime jobs, are struggling to feed their families day in and day out. Each day, The Food Bank is working hard to make sure that people like Melissa don’t have to worry about how they will pay bills and afford to eat each month. This year, let’s focus on providing more meals—and more hope—in the Ozarks.
Charlie’s
upcoming Events
Corner
Fight Hunger Faster February Kickoff
Scouting for Food march
Charlie O’Reilly
The temporary food pantry for affected federal workers is located inside Ozarks Food Harvest’s warehouse.
Ozarks Food Harvest supports federal employees affected by government shutdown Throughout the ongoing government shutdown, Ozarks Food Harvest is maximizing its efforts to ensure that affected federal employees—and the other 30,000 people we serve each week—continue to get the food they need to put a meal on the table at the end of the day. For the past several weeks, Ozarks Food Harvest has had a food pantry set up specifically for federal employees. The pantry, which is located inside Ozarks Food Harvest’s warehouse, offers nonperishable foods, fresh produce, frozen food and cleaning supplies. Those seeking assistance must present a valid federal ID, and families are invited to take what they need. We are committed to distributing food to affected federal employees for as long as
necessary. These families are suddenly without a paycheck by no fault of their own, and we want to give them one less thing to worry about by providing them with food. Our pantries and other hunger relief partners are working hard to provide for children, families and seniors across our 28-county service area— and we simply cannot ask them to distribute more. This temporary pantry allows us to help lighten their loads and guarantee there is enough food for everyone. Under normal conditions, the federal government provides federal commodities for Ozarks Food Harvest. We then store and distribute this food to our pantries and are reimbursed for these services for about $20,000 to $25,000 each month. However, The Food
Bank has not been paid for these resources since November, and we do not expect to get this money back. We need your help so that we can continue providing food for these neighbors. Each dollar you donate will help provide $10 worth of food and services. Your compassion and care for the community will truly make a difference during this challenging time. Thank you for helping us Transform Hunger into Hope! This newsletter was sent to the printer on Jan. 25. If the government shutdown has since ended, we still need your help to provide for these families as the situation begins to stabilize. Thank you sincerely for your continued support of our hunger relief efforts!
Help Us Fight Hunger Faster Fighting hunger would be incredibly difficult without the hard work of our volunteers and the wonderful gifts from our donors. Ozarks Food Harvest is grateful for each hour of time given and every dollar donated. We are all commited to the same mission: providing more meals for hungry families in southwest Missouri. Beginning Feb. 18, Ozarks Food Harvest donors and volunteers will have an opportunity to Fight Hunger Faster and make even more of an impact. Thanks to a generous match by DairiConcepts, donations up to $10,000 designated for Fight Hunger Faster will be matched dollar-for-dollar. With the match, each dollar donated will provide eight meals. Our goal during Fight
Hunger Faster is to provide 80,000 meals for individuals and families across the Ozarks who are struggling to put a meal on the table. Since 2015, DairiConcepts has partnered with The Food Bank to Transform Hunger into Hope for thousands of people across southwest Missouri. The company’s gifts of volunteer time and funds have helped The Food Bank distribute more than 150,000 meals. We are so grateful for the company’s $10,000 matching gift, as it will allow donors to double their impact as they Fight Hunger Faster with Ozarks Food Harvest.
Harvest. “Volunteers who also choose to make a monetary gift are making an even bigger difference for food insecure children, families and seniors in the Ozarks.” To learn more about Fight Hunger Faster, contact Jennifer Sickinger at jsickinger@ozarksfoodharvest.org and to learn more about volunteering with The Food Bank, visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/ volunteer or contact Jolene Thompson at jothompson@ozarksfoodharvest.org.
“Volunteer time and monetary gifts are both vital to Ozarks Food Harvest’s goal of closing the meal gap,” said Denise Gibson, development and communication director at Ozarks Food
Every donation provides for families like Garret’s.
Every Contribution Makes an Impact Hello from the O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief! Whether you choose to give your time, talent or treasure, each donation that you make to Ozarks Food Harvest is extremely valuable as The Food Bank continues to work toward its goal of closing the meal gap. From gifts for the distribution center expansion to time spent sorting food in the warehouse, each and every donation made helps support ongoing programs and provide meals for someone facing hunger. It’s truly a blessing that so many individual donors and businesses trust Ozarks Food Harvest with their treasure. Monetary donations help put food on the table by funding programs such as the Retail Pick-Up Program, Weekend Backpack Program and Senior Food boxes, financing general food distribution for 270 hunger relief partners and so much more. These programs not only help feed food insecure families, but they also raise awareness of the issue of hunger in southwest Missouri. Last year, monetary donations helped provide 17 million meals in the Ozarks. We are so thankful for this generosity!
Transforming Hunger into Hope for more than 35 years
to Ozarks Food Harvest brings us one step closer to solving hunger in southwest Missouri. And in the current environment of market ups and downs, Ozarks Food Harvest remains the very best investment for your charitable dollars. As you know, 96 cents of every dollar donated supports Ozarks Food Harvest’s feeding programs, which help put food on the table for more than 261,000 unduplicated individuals each year. And, one dollar helps provide $10 worth of food and services for food insecure children, families and seniors. Each donation helps provide meals for people like Garrett and his family. His wife is expecting a baby, and they are having trouble making ends meet. Fortunately, he is able to receive assistance from Ozarks Food Harvest. “This helps relieve and alleviate the stress that comes with worrying about grocery money, especially for when the baby comes,” he shared. To learn more about how your donation impacts struggling families in the Ozarks, give Bart a call or visit ozarksfoodharvest.org. Thank you for your continued support as we Transform Hunger into Hope.
Gifts of time and talent are also vital to put meals on the table for people across the Ozarks. Last year, more than 3,400 volunteers donated the gift of time to The Food Bank. They sorted and packed food in the warehouse, distributed groceries at Mobile Food Pantries and harvested produce in the garden. Solving the issue of hunger in the Ozarks would be impossible without these wonderful gifts of time. I wholeheartedly believe that every donation
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Boy Scouts across the area will join Ozarks Food Harvest and go door-to-door collecting nonperishable food items for the 30th annual Scouting for Food. Donors can place food donations in plastic grocery sacks that will be distributed in neighborhoods throughout March or donate at the one-day food drive at participating Walmart stores at the end of the month.
Participating Boy Scouts earn a special Scouting for Food uniform patch.
Lent Fish drive MArch 6–April 18
Participate in this year’s Fish Drive by dropping off nutritious and low-calorie fish in cans and pouches at The Food Bank during Lent.
Arvest Million Meals april 1—June 1
Each year, Arvest Bank challenges bank associates, customers and community members to raise food and funds to help feed neighbors in need. The ninth annual campaign will begin April 1 and run through June 1. Food or funds can be dropped off at Arvest branches in Springfield and Nixa.
Volunteer appreciation Month April
Volunteers help make what we do possible.
Give time, food or funds at ozarksfoodharvest.org
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month. Sincere thanks to the thousands of volunteers who helped provide food for people facing hunger last year. Volunteers gave more than 31,000 hours to provide millions of meals to struggling children, families and seniors in 2018. This April, we’ll be honoring volunteers all month long.
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Special Thanks to these friends of the food bank
Struggling families still need help after THE holidays We’re two months into a brand new year, and I can’t help but to reflect on how so many donors generously supported struggling families this holiday season. Many individuals chose to support Ozarks Food Harvest with a Giving Tuesday donation. Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, donors supported Ozarks Food Harvest by submitting gifts through our website, on Facebook and in person, and Mercy Hospital Springfield generously matched donations up to $2,500. The one-day fundraiser raised $20,100 for hunger relief. Local businesses also stepped up during the holidays. Five Pound Apparel and Neighbor’s Mill both held fundraisers, asking customers to
add a donation to Ozarks Food Harvest to their bill. These fundraisers generated nearly 6,500 meals, and we’re grateful for how these local businesses continue to collaborate and fight hunger in southwest Missouri. Shoppers at area grocery stores helped provide meals by adding a donation to their bill at the register during this year’s Check Out Hunger campaign. Seventy-two grocery stores throughout our 28-county service area participated. We’re incredibly grateful for the local grocers that continue to partner with us for this campaign year after year. All of our events, partnerships and fundraisers throughout the year allow us to provide meals for people like Erica, a single mom in Greene County who receives assistance from Crimson House. “With rent, utilities and other bills, there’s not much left for groceries. With this food, I can make meals without stressing about it. This is helping me go from living in poverty to self-supporting.” Giving back is top of mind for many during the holiday season, but as a busy new year begins, it’s easy to forget that families in the community are still struggling. Having enough money to purchase groceries becomes especially difficult during the winter months. Utility bills skyrocket as the temperature drops, and hardworking parents must make a tough choice: Do I keep the heat on, or do I get
Food insecure families struggle more in the winter.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Charity Golf Classic benefits The Food Bank Bart Brown, President/CEO
Bart’s
Hope Notes
groceries for the week? A staggering 67 percent of families we serve must make this decision. Today, I’m asking you to take a moment to think about what small sacrifices you might make so that these families can get the food they need. Forgo your daily coffee for a week and donate the money you saved to The Food Bank, or purchase a few extra canned goods at the grocery store to donate. Small acts of kindness can make a big impact. I hope that 2019 is off to a great start for you and your family. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to all that is to come for The Food Bank and the community this year.
O’Reilly Auto Parts hosted a golf tournament last fall and raised $15,000 for the Weekend Backpack Program! Each year, O’Reilly Auto Parts hosts the Charity Golf Classic to raise money for organizations that help individuals and families struggling with hunger, homelessness, health, poverty, domestic violence and illiteracy. Thank you to O’Reilly Auto Parts for this generous donation.
McDonald’s Coffee for a Cause RaiseS $9,600 McDonald’s restaurants across the Ozarks generously donated 25 cents from each cup of McCafe Coffee purchased Nov. 10-16. Every cup of coffee purchased helped provide one meal for families in need during the holiday season. Thank you to the 26 local McDonald’s stores that participated and to everyone that enjoyed a cup of McCafe Coffee during the campaign!
Smart Chicken Makes Annual Holiday Donation In December, Ozarks Food Harvest received a donation of 8,074 pounds of Smart Chicken, thanks to Tecumseh Farms. This is the 16th year for the donation, which provides food pantries in the region with protein-rich chicken just in time for the holidays. Smart Chicken’s Feed the Hungry campaign donates one pound of poultry for every 10 pounds of product purchased in November at southwest Missouri grocers.
Poverty causes daily struggles in rural towns Sometimes, it’s easy to forget just how blessed we are. So many rural towns in the Ozarks face unique challenges each and every day. The week before Christmas, I had the opportunity to visit the small town of Niangua when Santa made a special appearance to the local elementary school. During the holiday event, the Musgrave Foundation generously provided bags of food, a small sack of candy and a new pair of shoes for each child in the community. Jerry Redfern, the foundation manager, donned Santa’s suit for the occasion.
Denise Gibson, Development Director
From
Denise’s Desk
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As I drove through the town, I was quickly reminded of the heartbreaking prevalence of poverty in the rural communities we serve. Out of the six Feeding America food banks in Missouri, Ozarks Food Harvest has the largest service area—covering nearly 20,000 miles. So many of our hunger relief partners are
Today, I’m asking you to remember Ozarks Food Harvest and our important food distribution programs that allow us to support local communities—both large and small. I can assure you firsthand how priceless it is to see a child’s face when they receive something as simple as a bag of food and a new pair of shoes. Remember, you can make a significant impact in the lives of your hungry neighbors today, tomorrow and throughout the year.
Transforming Hunger into Hope for more than 35 years
Ozarks Food Harvest is grateful for the Darr Family Foundation’s $5,000 gift toward the Weekend Backpack Program. The foundation’s mission is to empower at-risk youth to overcome barriers to opportunity. We know this gift will do just that as children need proper nutrition to grow and learn. The Weekend Backpack Program provides more than 1,600 children with food to eat over each weekend of the school year.
Neighbor’s Mill Donates $900 Special thanks to Neighbor’s Mill and its customers for donating $900 during its fundraiser in December. Customers had the option to round up their total at the register to help provide meals to Ozarks Food Harvest’s network of 270 pantries and programs. The fundraiser raised a total of 3,600 meals. The Food Bank is grateful for each customer’s kind gift!
Five Pound Apparel Raises More Than $700 A big thank you to Five Pound Apparel for providing meals this holiday season. Customers raised $704 to help provide 2,816 meals during this checkout fundraiser. Shoppers who chose to donate at the register received a t-shirt ornament to place on Five Pound’s Christmas tree. Heartfelt thanks to Five Pound Apparel and its customers for their continued partnership.
Musgrave Foundation Spreads Holiday Generosity The Musgrave Foundation kindly donated $10,000 for the Weekend Backpack Program, along with an additional $500 to help struggling families during the Christmas season. The Weekend Backpack Program funds will provide weekend meals for children throughout the spring semester, and the $500 check was used to purchase Walmart gift cards for women at Christos House, one of The Food Bank’s hunger relief partners.
located in small towns just like Niangua. In these rural communities, low-paying jobs are common, infrastructure is minimal and a large percentage of the families live below the poverty line. At the end of the day after all of the bills are paid, many of these individuals need help putting food on the table. Without Ozarks Food Harvest’s food pantries and programs, they would have nowhere to turn.
Darr Family Foundation helps provide weekend meals
Smart Chicken’s Joe Horvath and The Food Bank’s Bart Brown.
Neale & Newman, LLP gifts $7,500 Ozarks Food Harvest recently received a $7,500 donation from Neale & Newman to help fight hunger in southwest Missouri. Founded in 1903, Neale & Newman is a Springfield law firm that offers legal services locally and around the globe. Most of the lawyers were raised in the Ozarks, and the company is deeply committed to improving the lives of individuals in the community. Since 2009, Neale & Newman has gifted more than $73,000 toward hunger relief in the Ozarks and has a longstanding history of supporting the local community.
OZARKS FOOD HARVEST BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. Meera Scarrow Mercy Hospital-Springfield–President Tommy Wohlgemuth SGC™ Foodservice–President Elect Brad Crain Arvest Bank of Springfield–Treasurer James Wilson NewStream Enterprises, a subsidiary of SRC Holdings–Secretary Kurt Bain Kraft Heinz TIm Bellanti Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc., Retired Clayton Brown Prime Inc. Tamara de Wild O’Reilly Auto Parts–Past President Gary Naab General Mills, Retired Mike Pinkston Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. Jill Reynolds Commerce Trust Company Kenny Ross Ross Construction Group Krystal Russell Spectrum Accounting and Payroll Vault
OZARKS FOOD HARVEST STAFF Bart Brown, President/CEO ADMINISTRATION Cindy Snow, Director of Administration Cindy Boggs, Office Manager Terry Keller, Human Resource & Administrative Services Manager Lauren Zachary, Receptionist DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATION Denise Gibson, Director of Development & Communication Thomas Cunningham, Community Engagement Coordinator Jordan Dykstra, Graphic Designer Cassie Hanson, Development & Grants Manager Sara Roelke, Communication Coordinator Jennifer Sickinger, Community Engagement Manager COMMUNITY RESOURCES Gordon Day, Director of Community Resources Dan Bohannon, Retail Store Donation Coordinator Sarah Byrd, Volunteer Coach Brenda Hesebeck, Volunteer Coach Rob Medlen, Full Circle Gardens Assistant Jeremy Moore, Volunteer Coach Alexa Poindexter, Full Circle Gardens Coordinator Jolene Thompson, Volunteer Engagement Manager Logan Werdeman, Volunteer Coach Julie Woodiel, Retail Store Donation Specialist MEMBER SERVICES Mary Zumwalt, Director of Programs & Member Services Jordan Browning, Comm. Partnerships & Advocacy Coord. Leah Carter, Agency Outreach Coordinator Casey Gunn, Retail Compliance Specialist Kimberly Hansen, CSFP/Senior Box Coordinator Terra Lamb, Agency Capacity Manager Jane Terry, Creative Information Specialist Melanie Toler, Member Services Assistant Erin Thomason, Nutrition Programs Coordinator Shada Travis, Backpack Program Coordinator OPERATIONS ADMINISTRATION Scott Boggs, Director of Operations Teresa Dixon, Warehouse Manager Mike Doubledee, Inventory Manager Steven Henry, Operations Administration Mike Hesebeck, Transportation & Warehouse Supervisor Eddie Hicks, Operations/Compliance Coordinator Steve Roberts, Transportation Manager
Ozarks Food Harvest’s Denise Gibson and Cassie Hanson accepted the check from the Musgrave Foundation.
Give time, food or funds at ozarksfoodharvest.org
Due to growth and limited space in the newsletter, all warehouse and transportation associates on the Operations team are now listed online at ozarksfoodharvest.org.
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Groups 20+ hours
food drives 500+ Meals
Academy of Hair Design American National Ameriprise Financial Ameriprise Financial Services - John Rehani Ava H.S. National Honor Society Case Management Society of America - Springfield and Ozarks Chapter Cox Hemotology Department Elks Lodge Expedia Expedia EVC Faith for Life - Campbell UMC Forsyth R-III FCCLA Fort Leonard Wood Military Police Class Greene County Juvenile Court Home Builders Association Ignite Youth King’s Way UMC Logan Rogersville H.S. CLICK Academy Logan Rogersville H.S. FFA Marisol International MSU Honors College MSU Fall 18 GEP 101 MSU GEP 122 National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors - Springfield Netsmart Penney, Murray & Associates “Peritoneal Dialysis Packers” at Cox Health Rotaract Club of Springfield Safelite AutoGlass Springfield Youth Cardinals Baseball - 13 & Under Sumner One Wesley UMC
Springfield-Greene Co. Park Board Turkey Trot – 13,808 Ridewell Suspensions – 12,200 Meta-Games Unlimited – 5,980 Coldwell Bankers, Vanguard Realtors – 5,266 Independent Stave Company – 4,297 Lucky’s Market – 4,270 Kickapoo H.S. – 3,103 MSU Library – 2,987 G.L. Moore Tire Pros & Automotive – 2,000 John Deere Reman – 1,918 Eugene Marsh - International Flipper Pinball Association – 1,880 Drury University - Lambda Chi Alpha – 1,818 Field Elementary School – 1,448 Wooten Company, LLC – 1,440 MSU Men’s Baseball Team – 1,280 Do Outdoors, Inc. – 941 Affinity Wealth Partners – 905 Morningside of Chesterfield – 903 Performance Foodservice – 903 Ash Grove Elementary School – 855 Missouri Council of the Blind Thrift Store – 846 Two Men and a Truck – 779 Jordan Valley Community Health Center – 770 JBC Tire Complete Auto Care – 734 CNH Industrial Reman – 705 Legacy Taekwondo – 682 MSU Student Affairs – 662 Drury University - Breech School of Business – 622 Edmonds Dental Prosthetics – 590 MSU Facilities Management – 556 Greenwood Laboratory School – 542 Salon Truth – 509 Ozark Technical Community College – 508
November 1- December 31, 2018
Individuals 20+ hours November 1- December 31, 2018
Winter Gardening Provides for Struggling Families The Ozarks Food Harvest garden grows fresh produce all year long—even in the cold winter months. Multiple raised beds and two high tunnels allow spinach, carrots and other nutritious produce to withstand freezing temperatures. This means that throughout the coldest months of the year, Ozarks Food Harvest volunteers are still at the garden harvesting fresh produce.
The “Peritoneal Dialysis Packers” volunteer together twice a month.
Co-workers build friendship and find purpose while volunteering Twice a month, a group nicknamed the “Peritoneal Dialysis Packers” spend their evenings volunteering at Ozarks Food Harvest. Debbie, Melissa and Sally met through work at the Ozarks Dialysis outpatient department at CoxHealth. The hospital encourages its employees to regularly give back to the community. Debbie began volunteering several years ago, and shortly after, she asked her co-workers to join her in the fight against hunger. Sally believes that volunteering with her coworkers has brought them closer and given them a chance to relax outside of work. “We’re working together to help those in less fortunate circumstances. The camaraderie in this low-stress environment helps decrease our jobrelated stress levels,” she said. During each volunteer session, the ladies pack boxes of nutritious items for the Senior Food program and bags for the Weekend Backpack Program.
Sally, who has recently retired from her career at CoxHealth, is “so glad that volunteering in the community was encouraged among leaders” in her workplace. She also believes her perceptions of hunger have shifted since she began volunteering at The Food Bank. “The entire concept of people not having food, even enough for the weekend, was hard for me to deal with. Volunteering has made me much more aware of the incredible number of people in our own community who are food poor. It also allows me to help in a small way,” she said.
Thanks to Hippocrates Farm, high tunnel gardening began in 2015, allowing for year-round growing. Last winter, more than 450 pounds of produce were harvested to provide 375 meals to food insecure children, families and seniors. Winter volunteer sessions are held once a week. Typically, volunteers plant seeds, pull weeds and harvest a variety of produce in the high tunnels and raised beds. “Fresh fruits and vegetables are important yearround, so we love teaching folks how to garden through the winter. Being able to harvest fresh carrots, spinach and lettuce for our agencies in the middle of winter is a real treat,” said Full Circle Gardens coordinator Alexa Poindexter. To volunteer at the garden, apply and self-schedule at ozarksfoodharvest.org/volunteer.
Since 2014, the group has given more than 500 hours of time to The Food Bank. We are so thankful for their compassion and desire to help.
Thomas Baldwin James Blackwell Margaret Blackwell Charley Bowen Trudy Bowen Karla Carroll Shaun Carter Eddie Currier Eileen Deal Adam DeBacker Gary DeHaven Cortney Denbow Chelsea Digman Kris Dreesen Brad Gangwes Doug Gooch Gerald Green Wil Hardiman Mark Hensley Fabio Heredia Bill Hoffman Julia Jenkins Harvey Kaylor Donald Landon Linda Lange
George Lawrence Loren Limas Dalton Lower Timothy Lower Ann Marsh Dave McGee Nathaniel Mersch Tayler Morefield Melvie Mosier Charlene Nelson Brian Ombonga Melody Pierson Tom Ryan Alex Scranton Jeffrey Scranton Logan Steinhour Tommy Stone Ruthann Storms Saundra Stroud Lona Wait Peggy Walker Georgeann Warren Jack Weindel Savannah Wells Dwayne Woods
Thank you so much to our ongoing food and fund drive hosts for providing 5,850 meals in 2018!
Make a lasting impact with monthly giving Distributing 17 million meals annually requires the support and commitment of our generous donors. Harvest Circle, a dedicated group of monthly sustainers, provides The Food Bank with a reliable, steady source of funds that allows us to respond immediately when needs arise. Monthly gifts allow Ozarks Food Harvest to
plan ahead and budget effectively. Because recurring donations are processed automatically, monthly sustainers help reduce administrative costs, which allows even more of these gifts to help our hungry neighbors. Monthly sustainers appreciate how their gifts add up to make a difference throughout the year. With every one dollar providing four meals, even
small monthly donations make a big impact for neighbors struggling with hunger. Join Harvest Circle with a monthly gift made by credit card, check or automatic bank withdrawals. Sign up online at ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate and indicate “Make a monthly gift,” or contact Jennifer Sickinger at 417-865-3411 ext. 110 or jsickinger@ozarksfoodharvest.org.
Host a food drive with your business or organization Your business, organization or church can help fight hunger by hosting a drive to collect food and funds. It’s a fun and simple way to encourage teamwork while raising awareness around the issue of hunger in the Ozarks. Get creative by offering participants incentives for donations, or make it a competition among departments.
Are you and your co-workers interested in volunteering at The Food Bank? Apply and selfschedule at ozarksfoodharvest.org/volunteer.
November 1- January 15, 2019
Every dollar raised will help provide four meals.
Collect funds or let us create an online food and fund drive for your business. You can share the link to invite employees, vendors and friends to participate. Most-needed food donations include tuna or other canned meat, peanut butter, beans, boxed meals, canned vegetables or fruit and cereal. A printable handout of this list is available at
ozarksfoodharvest.org/fooddrive. We make it easy. The Food Bank will provide supplies and pickup donations for larger drives. Visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/fooddrive to view food drive supplies and register to host a drive. Contact Thomas Cunningham at 417-865-6411 x137 for help planning your drive.
The Ozarks Food Harvest garden grows produce year-round.
6 Transform Hunger into Hope by volunteering to help your neighbors in need. Sign up at ozarksfoodharvest.org/volunteer.
Share why you support Ozarks Food Harvest on social media. You might encourage someone to become a Hunger Hero!
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O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief 2810 N. Cedarbrook Ave. | P.O. Box 5746 Springfield, MO 65801-5746 (417) 865-3411 ozarksfoodharvest.org
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