October 2020
harvest time
Ozarks Food HArvest – The food BAnk
Newsletter from the o’reilly center for hunger relief
“The future looks brighter for me now. I can take care of myself, and it’s because of the people at Elevate Branson.” - Rick, received food from an Ozarks Food Harvest partner
Hope on the horizon For years, Rick was a healthy, active man with a full life. He worked at the Walmart Auto Care Center in Branson and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. In late 2018, he left work early one day, feeling a little bit under the weather. He didn’t think much of it and planned to return to work when he felt better. Unfortunately, Rick was diagnosed with pneumonia and several other medical complications. During his recovery, he was diagnosed with COPD. He tried to go back to work, but the physical labor was too difficult. Rick lost his job in 2019. After the funds from his temporary disability ran out, he felt completely lost and alone. He had trouble paying bills, and because he couldn’t pay his rent, he was evicted. Rick was hopeless—and he needed help. One evening, in a moment of despair, he called 911. The operator connected him with Elevate Branson, formerly known as Jesus Was Homeless. The organization offers a wide range of services and partners with Ozarks Food Harvest to provide meals for individuals seeking food assistance in Branson. “They helped me get food and get to the doctor since I didn’t have a car. They advocated
ozarksfoodharvest.org
for me so I could pay the bills, and they got me a social worker,” he shared. “If it wasn’t for them, I’m not sure that I would be here today.”
immediate needs in the community like food insecurity, filing unemployment claims and providing transportation for medical services.
The onset of COVID-19 created a new set of problems for Rick. He began relying on an oxygen tank last year, and because of his underlying medical conditions, he was fearful to leave the house, even for groceries.
“We learned that there’s a delay between when the need arises and how quickly they can receive government assistance,” he said. “For instance, we saw about a six-week gap between the shutdown of employment and the time the stimulus checks and additional unemployment benefits were received.”
“It’s scary to get out in public and be around people for me. I still feel so young, and I would really rather be working than dealing with this,” he shared. In the spring, Elevate Branson provided him with sack lunches, and the organization helped him get food from a local food pantry. They also helped him apply for food stamps. He now has several friends from Elevate Branson that help him get to the store and shop for groceries. They also helped him locate his stimulus check several months ago. “They check up on me, and they make sure I’m taken care of,” Rick said. Bryan Stallings, co-founder of Elevate Branson, shifted the organization’s focus at the onset of COVID-19 to help people like Rick. While addressing homelessness, he also meets
Because of organizations like Elevate Branson, Rick—and others who suddenly find themselves in completely unexpected situations—can find support. “The future looks brighter for me now. I don’t have any more debt to pay; it’s such a weight lifted off my shoulders. I can take care of myself, and it’s because of the people at Elevate Branson,” Rick shared. This is only one of the many transformative stories of hope from our 270 hunger-relief partners. Thank you for your continued support of our mission. Because of you, people like Rick have hope for the days ahead.
Employees from Ozarks Food Harvest and iHeartRadio Springfield celebrate the record donation total.
Hungerthon helps provide weekend meals for 704 children Ozarks Food Harvest is extremely thankful for every individual, foundation and business that contributed during the 22nd annual Hungerthon. Last month, The Food Bank and iHeartRadio Springfield teamed up with the community to raise funds for the Weekend Backpack Program. The four-day radiothon collected a record-breaking $253,426 which will provide 704 children with nutritious meals and snacks every weekend of the school year. Since 1999, hunger heroes have donated more than $2.25 million through Hungerthon. The Weekend Backpack Program was created to provide weekend meals for children in one rural community, but after a short time, other rural schools and even those in Springfield began asking for assistance, too. The need was much greater than anticipated, so Ozarks Food Harvest immediately increased fundraising efforts for the program to provide more meals.
The initiative now provides more than 1,600 food-insecure children in 60 schools with food to take home every Friday throughout the entire school year. One in 5 children in southwest Missouri struggle with hunger, especially on the weekends when school meals aren’t available. Listeners tuned in to Alice 95.5, US97, 100.5 The Wolf and 105.9 KGBX throughout the fourday event. Donations were accepted by phone and online. “This was an unprecedented year for giving and much needed in the midst of what’s happening in our community,” said Clint Girlie, radio DJ on 95.5 Alice. “This proves how invaluable an organization like Ozarks Food Harvest is to this community, and we are fortunate enough to be partnered with them.
with a match from CoBank, AnswerForce, Anthem, CoxHealth, DairiConcepts, Fireworks Supermarket, Heart of America Beverage Company, Kum & Go Charitable Fund, MassMutual, Nancy Jester, Ron & Janice Penney, SRC, Lezah & Ron Stenger and Yahweh’s Place at Cedarville. Several local businesses including Jersey Mike’s, Air Services All Services, Hy-Vee, Creative Car Audio, Morrison, Webster & Carlton, Geico, Fazoli’s, Youngblood Honda and McKowen Family Dental served as event sponsors. Weekend Backpack Program donations are accepted all year long. To make a contribution, visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate, and select “Weekend Backpack Program” from the dropdown menu.
Event donations were matched by individuals, businesses and foundations including AECI
Mobile Food Pantries continue to serve the community In mid-March, Ozarks Food Harvest answered the call when schools, churches and other organizations needed help. Our operations crew packed trucks full of meat, dairy, fresh produce, bread and nonperishable goods and headed out to help. Volunteers, staff members and the Missouri National Guard greeted families with warm smiles and boxes full of groceries across more than 80 different locations. Mobile Food Pantries have served nearly 40,000 individuals and provided 685,000 pounds of groceries over the past eight months. As jobs were lost and grocery store shelves were left bare, drive-through distributions provided a safe and efficient way for families to get the food they needed.
2
“It’s been a wonderful experience, and it has been so beneficial to all of our community,” said Kathalee Cole, teacher at Lutie Schools. “We have people who will drive a good 40 minutes from surrounding areas to get food from us because times are hard. Everyone needs some help. The response has been overwhelming, and people have been very grateful for the food.” Individuals from all walks of life stopped by our mobile distributions to pick up food. From teenagers to grandparents, everyone in need was able to drive away with several boxes of food. Beverly, a grandmother raising three grandkids, stopped by our distribution at The Fairbanks in Springfield.
“It gets to be a struggle whenever you don’t have food stamps and you’re working. I was trying to get back to work and then the pandemic happened so this really helps us out because I have a 16-year-old and a 15-yearold and a 12-year-old, and I have no food stamps,” she said. Through the coming months, Ozarks Food Harvest will continue to host Mobile Food Pantries across southwest Missouri targeting displaced workers and families who rely on school meals. If you would like to support this ongoing work, please consider making a gift at ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate. Thank you for changing lives with us!
Transforming Hunger into Hope for more than 37 years
Charlie’s
upcoming Events
Corner
Check Out Hunger November 1–December 31
Every dollar makes a difference. In November and December, add a $1, $3 or $5 tax-free donation to your bill when checking out at area grocery stores. Check out a list of participating stores at ozarksfoodharvest.org. Check Out Hunger has helped provide 2.6 million meals since 1998. Charlie O’Reilly
Turkey Trot
November 26-29 As the pandemic goes on, The Food Bank continues to support local families.
Navigating the new normal Everyone has been affected by the pandemic in one way or another. Some have lost jobs, others have lost family members and friends. A handful of local businesses have shuttered, and the way we interact socially has changed drastically. We’re months into the pandemic, and with no clear end in sight, some of these changes have become part of our new normal. My friends at The Food Bank are also navigating these changes when it comes to the supply chain, food distribution methods and day-to-day operations. The majority of the food Ozarks Food Harvest provides to its 270 hunger-relief partners comes from donated and purchased product and government commmodities. Unfortunately, due to closures and layoffs at food manufacturing facilities across the country, both perishable and nonperishable food items have become more expensive for The Food Bank to acquire. Retail donations make up about 20 percent of The Food Bank’s supply. In the height of the pandemic, grocery store inventories hit rock bottom as customers cleared shelves, and many retailers are still recovering. Donations of produce, dairy, frozen meat and more from these partners have significantly decreased over the past several months. While the food supply decreased, the demand for food assistance climbed. Thousands of people visited food pantries and drive-through distributions for the first time. Many are still depending on this extra help to put food on the table, months later.
individuals. Generous donations have allowed Ozarks Food Harvest to purchase the food they need and helped provide so many meals to families in need. It’s critical that The Food Bank continues to receive this support. Since so much of the future is still unknown, Ozarks Food Harvest will continue to lean on the community to help meet the increased need for food assistance. Parents are still out of work. Children still need food when they’re not at school. Seniors are still stuck at home with nothing to eat. We must come together to provide for the hungry and hurting. Will you consider making a donation to bring hope to someone struggling with food insecurity? When combined with donated product, every dollar donated helps provide $10 worth of groceries. Your donation will change lives and make an impact on so many who continue to be affected by COVID-19. As we’ve seen time and time again this year, things can change in the blink of an eye. We’re entering the last few months of 2020, and Ozarks Food Harvest must be prepared to meet unexpected challenges—and you can help. If another stay-at-home order is issued, schools close again or unemployment skyrockets, your donation to The Food Bank will help put food on the table for a family in need. I sincerely thank you for your support as we all grapple with the unpredictable. Because of you, someone will eat today.
Join us online for this year’s virtual Turkey Trot. Participants can register online and run or walk with family and friends between Nov. 26 and 29 to support charities across the Ozarks. Nonperishable food donations for Ozarks Food Harvest can be dropped off during registration. We’ll miss seeing everyone bright and early Thanksgiving morning, but we hope to see you participating virtually!
Giving Tuesday December 1
During the holidays, take a moment to focus on contributing to your community. Giving Tuesday, which takes place the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is the perfect time to put others first. You can help put food on the table for local families this season by donating on Giving Tuesday. If you or your business might be interested in serving as a matching sponsor, contact Jennifer Sickinger at 417-865-3411. Donations will be accepted at ozarksfoodharvest.org/ donate on Dec. 1.
Food Fight January
We’re not sure what school will look like in January, but we still need your help to raise funds during the 10th annual Food Fight! This annual event with Springfield Public Schools will look a little different this year, but we would love for your business or organization to join us in the fight against hunger by hosting a fund drive. All funds raised will benefit the Weekend Backpack Program. To learn more about partnering for Food Fight, contact Jennifer at jsickinger@ozarksfoodharvest.org.
So how is Ozarks Food Harvest navigating these changes? Since March, The Food Bank has received an incredible amount of support from foundations, businesses, corporations and
Give time, food or funds at ozarksfoodharvest.org
3
Challenges and successes of the past fiscal year Ozarks Food Harvest encountered several challenges and successes over the past fiscal year, which ran from July 2019 to July 2020. As we press on through the rest of 2020, I want to take a moment to reflect.
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) outreach, drive-through food pantries and additional Mobile Food Pantries. On behalf of the entire food bank, I want to thank every donor that stepped up to help the community.
Ozarks Food Harvest provided 22 million meals last fiscal year, marking another record year of food distribution for food-insecure children, families and seniors in southwest Missouri. The 20 percent increase in distribution is the largest year-to-year increase in The Food Bank’s 37-year history.
Although COVID-19 had a significant impact in our fiscal year total, I believe it’s important to look at the year as a whole, too. Along with providing 22 million meals from July 2019 to June 2020, we distributed 62,000 Weekend Backpacks, sent out 44,000 Senior Food boxes and harvested 47,000 pounds of produce through the Full Circle Gardens program. SNAP outreach contributed 1.2 million meals to The Food Bank’s recordbreaking distribution and helped bring more than $5.2 million in economic stimulus to southwest Missouri.
During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly developed innovative strategies to meet the increased need. Thousands of people who had never needed food assistance before found themselves in line at food pantries. Those who lost jobs needed an extra hand. Parents needed a little help feeding their kids. Thanks to our donors, we were able to jump into action to help as many people as possible. We did this through increased Supplemental
Ozarks Food Harvest provided a record number of meals last fiscal year.
Volunteerism also played an important role. Before The Food Bank temporarily suspended its volunteer program due to COVID-19, more than 3,000 volunteers spent 21,600 hours sorting and packing meals. Temporary workers and members of the Missouri National Guard worked more than 14,800 hours at Ozarks Food Harvest to ensure food distribution continued during the pandemic. Their gifts of time are incredibly meaningful and appreciated. The good work of The Food Bank would not be possible without our tremendous donors. Throughout the year, foundations, businesses, corporations, organizations and individuals stepped up to serve the community. They wrote
Bart Brown, President/CEO
Bart’s
Hope Note
checks, hosted fund and food drives, signed up to volunteer, raised awareness through social media and so much more. Because of this generosity, thousands of families can put food on the table today. Each year comes with its own set of challenges. No matter what the rest of this fiscal year brings, we’re thankful to have you on our side. If you would like to support Ozarks Food Harvest as we continue to provide meals for people recovering from the impacts of the pandemic—and children, families and seniors who are in need for any other reason—I invite you to make a gift at ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate today. Thank you for being part of our family!
The force behind fund drives We’re so grateful for all of the organizations, businesses, families and individuals that host fund drives on behalf of Ozarks Food Harvest. Did you know that these partnerships bring in more than $100,000 in donations every year? Fund drives are very important to The Food Bank—and they serve as a simple way to raise funds and awareness for the issue of hunger. For every one dollar collected during a fund drive, Ozarks Food Harvest is able to provide four meals.
Denise Gibson, Development Director
From
Denise’s Desk
While The Food Bank is always happy to accept nonperishable food donations from food drives, fund donations have a greater impact. With a fund drive, we’re able to provide more meals than we can with a food drive. And due to COVID-19, we are currently encouraging fund drives. Are you ready to help? Ozarks Food Harvest makes it simple. Collect donations
4
at your office in exchange for a casual dress day, create a fun contest between family members or host an online fundraiser! When you’re ready to learn more or get your fund drive started, contact Sarah Byrd at sbyrd@ozarksfoodharvest.org. We’re excited to see the impact you make! Thank you for joining us in the fight against hunger.
Online fundraisers are an easy and fun way to raise money for Ozarks Food Harvest.
Transforming Hunger into Hope for more than 37 years
Special Thanks to these friends of the food bank Hunger Action Month partners help raise awareness and funds
Enterprise Holdings donates to hunger-relief efforts
Enterprise Holdings showed tremendous support for the community with a $12,000 In September, businesses across southwest donation to The Food Bank. The gift is part of the Missouri joined Ozarks Food Harvest in raising Fill Your Tank Program—an initiative created to awareness and funds for childhood hunger. We’re celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary by grateful for their contributions! Special thanks to: committing to donate $60 million to address food • A Beautiful Mess insecurity around the globe. The $12,000 gift will • Abacus, CPAs help provide 48,000 meals for people facing hunger • AECI in southwest Missouri. • ALDI • Ascend Dental Design • Autohaus, LLC • Bass Pro Shops • Cheers for Children partners –– 417 Taphouse –– Best of Luck Beer Hall –– 4 by 4 Brewing Co. –– Cherry Picker Package x Fare –– Golden Girl Rum Club –– Inner Circle Vodka Bar –– Lindberg’s Donations from Enterprise Holdings help families facing hunger. –– Mud Lounge –– The Royal –– Sweet Boy’s O’Reilly Family Fund and –– Whiskey Tango O’Reilly Auto Parts donate • Casey’s General Store $5,000 for Weekend Backpack • Central Bank of the Ozarks Program • Coffee Ethic • Dance Mission These kind donors recently made a gift of $5,000 • Dickerson Park Zoo to Ozarks Food Harvest to support children who • Five Pound Apparel might not get enough to eat on the weekends. • Hy-Vee The funds will help fill 500 bags with 3,000 meals • Jersey Mike’s Subs for food-insecure children in Springfield and • Neighbor’s Mill surrounding areas. We are grateful for this kind • Smithfield donation and the O’Reilly family’s dedication to • Walt the Dood giving children in the Ozarks hope for the future. • White River Valley Electric, Coop. • Wrigley and Theo
The O’Reilly family’s support gives back to local children. Walt the Dood helped raise awareness for hunger relief.
BKD helps provide more than 132,000 meals Special thanks to BKD for its $33,200 gift that will help provide 132,800 meals for children, families and seniors in the Ozarks. Since 2009, BKD has donated more than $46,000 to hunger-relief efforts in southwest Missouri. We’re grateful that this partner continues to generously support Ozarks Food Harvest’s mission of Transforming Hunger into Hope.
Ozarks Health Advocacy Foundation helps provide local children with weekend food bags OHAF recently made a gift of $10,000 to Ozarks Food Harvest to support children who might not get enough to eat on the weekends. The funds will help fill more than 990 bags with 5,952 meals for food-insecure children in Springfield and surrounding areas. We’re grateful for this wonderful gift!
Give time, food or funds at ozarksfoodharvest.org
OZARKS FOOD HARVEST BOARD OF DIRECTORS Tommy Wohlgemuth SGC™ Foodservice–President Kenny Ross Ross Construction Group–President Elect Jill Reynolds Commerce Trust Company–Treasurer Clayton Brown Prime Inc.–Secretary Kurt Bain Kraft Heinz Tim Bellanti Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc., Retired Tamara Conn O’Reilly Auto Parts–Past President Mike Pinkston Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. Krystal Russell Spectrum Accounting and Payroll Vault Dr. Meera Scarrow Mercy Hospital-Springfield–Past President James Wilson Tuthill
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 Laura King, Receptionist Lauren Zachary, Administrative Services Assistant DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATION Denise Gibson, Director of Development & Communication Sarah Byrd, Community Engagement Coordinator Jordan Dykstra, Graphic Designer Cassie Hanson, Development & Grants Manager Hannah Loder, Communications Intern Sara Roelke, Communication Coordinator Micah Rudd, Donor Relations Coordinator Jennifer Sickinger, Community Engagement Manager Allie Smith, Community Engagement Administrative Assistant COMMUNITY RESOURCES Stephanie Miller, Director of Community Resources Brittanie Allen, Volunteer Coach Gordon Day, Community Resources Associate Cady Goble, Glean Coordinator Brenda Hesebeck, Volunteer Coach Andrew Magnus, Volunteer Coach Alexa Poindexter, Full Circle Gardens Manager Kevin Richardson, Volunteer Coach Marcus Seal, Volunteer Supervisor Emilia Stauffer, Volunteer Coach Jason Terry, Assistant Volunteer Supervisor Jolene Thompson, Volunteer Engagement Manager Aaron Wilde, Material Handler/Volunteer Coach Julie Woodiel, Food Sourcing Coordinator MEMBER SERVICES Mary Zumwalt, Director of Programs & Member Services Terra Baum, Agency Capacity & Compliance Manager Jordan Browning, Public Information Officer Nick Groves, Agency Outreach Coordinator Casey Gunn, Retail Compliance Specialist Heather Haloupek, Child Nutrition Programs Coordinator Deidra McBride, CSFP/Senior Box Coordinator Natalie Regenold, SNAP Coordinator Jane Terry, Creative Information Specialist Melanie Toler, Member Services Assistant Shada Travis, Agency Support Specialist OPERATIONS ADMINISTRATION Scott Boggs, Director of Operations Kim Hansen, Operations Administrative Coordinator Trisha Heflin, Warehouse Supervisor Mike Hesebeck, Transportation Supervisor Eddie Hicks, Compliance Manager Steve Roberts, Operations Manager 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.
5
hunger hero news Feeding families across the Ozarks
“I choose to volunteer with Ozarks Food Harvest because of the organization’s mission, but the people and atmosphere make it enjoyable.” - Cindy Hawdon, Ozarks Food Harvest Volunteer
Cindy volunteers on a regular basis at Ozarks Food Harvest.
Finding community and making a difference
Food & Fund Drives
With a passion for nonprofit work, Cindy Hawdon focuses on giving back. After retiring from a career in commercial insurance, Cindy settled in Springfield and connected with Ozarks Food Harvest to help with a need she saw in the community.
The ability to volunteer has not only allowed Cindy to help others, but it has also made a positive impact on her life.
Below is a list of food and fund drives that have provided meals from June 12 – Sept. 9, 2020.
“By giving back, I can appreciate the life I have, and using my ability to help bless others, I can count my blessings,” Cindy said.
“Recognizing the needs of nonprofits from my career, I focused on groups that assist with food insecurity,” Cindy shared. “I volunteered with members of the food [bank] network in other cities and sought to connect with Ozarks Food Harvest when I moved here. Volunteering has always been my plan for retirement.”
Join our community by scheduling a volunteeer session. Support your neighbors experiencing hunger and see changes in your own life as well. To learn more, visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/volunteer.
Prime Chili Cook-off — 44,390 Wood’s Supermarket - Fill the Food Bank 2020 — 44,104 Stamp out Hunger — 18,619 2020 Can Can Ride — 17,200 Pick-n-Pull Auto Dismantlers — 14,466 Macy’s - Bag Hunger Campaign — 13,053 Hy-Vee - Springfield — 12,976 Little Caesars — 8,416 Lucas Oil Speedway — 4,512 The Wind 88.3 Radiothon — 2,064 Fast & Friendly — 1,966 Shelter Insurance - Chasing the Hunger Storm — 1,496 Smart Insurance Agency — 1,000 Mercy Central Patient Access — 600 Feed the 4 States — 200 Best of Luck Beer Hall/ Great Escape Beer Works — 144 Air Services and All Services — 133 Springfield FDA - Feds Feed Families — 100 Lutheran Women’s Missionary League — 80 Ben Quisbeny — 29 Dillard’s Cosmetics — 20 Church of Jesus Christ of LDS — 5
The Food Bank’s mission is close to Cindy’s heart. “I know there are many areas where lowincome families need services and assistance,” Cindy expressed. “Safe and healthy food is a necessity, and I believe every person should have access to food.” Volunteering with us has been a positive experience, Cindy says, because of the feeling of community The Food Bank offers. “I choose to volunteer with Ozarks Food Harvest because of the organization’s mission, but the people and atmosphere make it enjoyable,” Cindy shared.
Many people are a part of The Food Bank’s volunteer program and form a close community.
Thank you so much to our ongoing food and fund drive hosts.
6 Transform Hunger into Hope by volunteering to help your neighbors in need. Sign up at ozarksfoodharvest.org/volunteer.
volunteers Below is a list of individuals and groups who have donated 12+ hours of time from July 6 – Aug. 31, 2020. Individuals
Local farmers sell their produce at the farmers’ market each week.
Farming for good Stopping by the Greater Springfield Farmers’ Market is a great way to get fresh, local produce. But what happens to the fruits and vegetables that aren’t purchased when the market closes for the day? Generous farmers have partnered with Ozarks Food Harvest to offer these extra goods to the community. Twice a week, The Food Bank visits the market before it closes to pick up any leftover fruits and vegetables. On Saturdays, Harvest on Wheels picks up the excess produce and delivers it to food pantries. “We let the produce vendors know that if they have anything they don’t want to take back with them, we would love to take those fruits and veggies to area kitchens and pantries,” Alexa Poindexter, Full Circle Gardens Manager, explained. The program has had great success with weekday vendors who have donated more
than 8,700 pounds of local produce since the pickups began in May. Farmers donate items for a variety of reasons. “This produce may be excess or have cosmetic issues, or it could need to be used within a couple of days,” Alexa said. The Boys and Girls Club Musgrave Unit and Crosslines in Springfield partner with us to receive food through this program. “We’ve benefited by being able to give our kids new opportunities to try different fruits and vegetables that we don’t necessarily buy for them because they are too expensive,” John Key, program director at the Boys and Girls Club Musgrave Unit, shared. This is just one of the many opportunities we offer through our Full Circle Gardens program. Want to learn about other garden projects? Visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/ programs/full-circle-gardens.
Finding purpose through volunteering Volunteers have always played a critical role in The Food Bank’s mission of Transforming Hunger into Hope. Day after day, they show up to help make a difference in the lives of people struggling with food insecurity. These gifts of time have been even more important amid COVID-19, as individuals in need are visiting food pantries at an unprecedented rate. After a few tough months without our volunteers, we welcomed everyone back with air hugs and masked smiles in July. We’re incredibly thankful for those who have stepped through the doors of our warehouse and into the garden since volunteer sessions resumed. After putting on their masks and having their temperatures checked at arrival, our volunteers get to work doing what they love: sorting and packing meals for people in need. We’ve seen many faces—both new and old—in our socially-distanced sessions over
the past few months, and we cannot thank our volunteers enough for serving with us. Each month, volunteers sort about 300,000 pounds of food, pack 6,000 Weekend Backpack food bags, assemble 3,500 Senior Food boxes and harvest 3,000 pounds of produce. Their hard work inspires us! For many of our volunteers, Ozarks Food Harvest is a home away from home. It’s a safe place to socialize and make new friends. Volunteering gives them a sense of purpose, and they return again and again to continue making a difference.
Adriana Avila Shance Beckwith Alyssa Bland Weston Boswell Debra Brady Kayla Brady Kaleb Brooks Kim Burton Pablo Cariaga Tom Carson Beau Chandler Kalim Choudhury Gale Clithero Brittany Collins Marilyn Corson Patrick Cunningham Christian Dang Eileen Deal Gary DeHaven Desiree Dixon Kris Dreesen Danny Edwards Arlene Eichler Daniel Frickenschmidt Ashlie German Linda Gillick Haley Gumm Eugene Han Mallory Hancock Kamron Hanson Wil Hardiman Cindy Hawdon Fabio Heredia Donald Landon Taylor Landon
Lisa Lane Dave Lappin Madison Lewis Evan Lisle Charles McCann Dillon McConnel Jeff Meyer Emily Monje Monta Montgomery Timothy Moore Rheanna Morris Chad Parker Joel Peacock Melody Pierson Elisa Raffa Benjamin Raylyanu Hayden Roberts Miguel Rodriguez Derek Ruda Kendrick Scott John Sebag Faith Sharp Emily Slagle Jason Smith Katherine Smith Andrew Stoll Jake Taylor Mary Thomas Amy Viets Carson Wade Lona Wait Christopher White Valerie Wilkinson Karis Wilson Larry Woolf
Groups Antioch UMC Arnold Family Central Bank of the Ozarks Cox College MSOT Program Developmental Center of the Ozarks -Employment F&H Food Equipment Company
Faith for Life - Campbell UMC Hope Church King’s Way UMC Rotary Club of Springfield North Southern Missouri Women Lawyers Wesley UMC
We appreciate all of the time and effort our volunteers give on a regular basis.
Would you like to become part of our volunteer family? We would love to have you! Sign up to volunteer at ozarksfoodharvest. org/volunteer. If you would like to schedule a session with your coworkers, church group or organization, contact Jolene at jothompson@ozarksfoodharvest.org. Beau volunteers his time at The Food Bank.
Share why you support Ozarks Food Harvest on social media. You might encourage someone to become a Hunger Hero!
7
O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief 2810 N. Cedarbrook Ave. | P.O. Box 5746 Springfield, MO 65801-5746 (417) 865-3411 ozarksfoodharvest.org
Stay connected
Transforming Hunger into Hope™