Transforming
Hunger Into Hope ™
We serve charities who solve hunger in southwest Missouri
Watch Our StoryEvery $1 donated to Ozarks Food Harvest provides 4 Meals.
By rescuing food and obtaining food and monetary donations, The Food Bank distributes over 1.4 million meals per month to children, families and seniors in need.
News and Events
Hope on the horizon
October 1, 2020
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...
A giving spirit and a tight-knit community
October 21, 2020
In 1984, compassionate people in Nevada, Missouri, wanted to feed their neighbors who were experiencing hunger. Over time, these individuals noticed other needs—like a lack...
Finding community and making a difference
October 2, 2020
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...
Navigating the new normal
October 2, 2020
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...
Our Programs
Backpack
Weekend Backpack Program
The Food Bank’s Weekend Backpack Program provides food insecure children with a bag of nutritious, child-friendly food for them to take home over the weekends, when they might otherwise go hungry.
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After-School Food
The After-School Food Program
During the school year, The Food Bank's After-School Program provides nutritious meals and snacks to children who would otherwise go home to an empty dinner plate. Ozarks Food Harvest sponsored sites offer this free food to children at a variety of community locations where kids are already gathering like Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, churches and schools.
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Summer Food
The Summer Food Program
Children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the school year are also at risk of hunger during the summer months. Summer Food serves meals and snacks to hungry kids in southwest Missouri who would otherwise return to school undernourished, which could severely affect their ability to learn.
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Mobile Food Pantry
The Mobile Food Pantry Program
Ozarks Food Harvest's pantry on wheels delivers bulk loads of food to central locations in rural areas, or to member food pantries that do not have adequate freezer or cooler space. It offers a wide variety of food and supplies, from fresh produce, dairy and meat to laundry detergent and toilet paper. These trucks go out weekly, in addition to The Food Bank's regular deliveries to pantries.
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Senior Food
The Senior Food Program
Supplementing the diets of low-income seniors with nutritious USDA food at 33 locations across the Ozarks, this program provides more than 3,600 eligible seniors with healthy food through senior centers, churches and pantries. Annually, more than 43,000 Senior Food Boxes are assembled by Ozarks Food Harvest's volunteers and distributed by The Food Bank.
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SNAP
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Ozarks Food Harvest conducts SNAP, or food stamp, outreach across 28 Missouri counties to educate those who are eligible to receive benefits about the application process.
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Retail Pick-Up Program
The Retail Pick-Up Program
Every week, Food Bank drivers and member agency staff pick up donations from more than 100 area grocers. These items include food that does not meet standards for retail sales but does remain safe for consumption. Much of the food is fresh produce and perishable goods, but nonperishable goods are also donated.
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Full Circle Gardens
The Food Bank's Garden & Glean Team Program
This program provides food pantries, feeding sites and clients with more than just fresh, nutritious produce. By working with community partners, people in need are empowered through education and fellowship while gaining resources for growing and sustaining their own food supply.
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