Become a Member

Thank you for your interest in applying for OFH membership

As a nonprofit food distribution center, Ozarks Food Harvest collaborates with nonprofit agencies across 28 Missouri counties to provide emergency food assistance to southwest Missourians in need. Food resources are donation-driven, including surplus and salvageable products, donated by all components of the food industry, such as manufacturers, retailers and food distributors. Food drives and other campaigns also play a part in donations. Because inventory is not constant, and availability is sometimes limited, The Food Bank should act as a supplemental source of food for partner organizations. Member agencies should be prepared, when necessary, to secure donations from other sources.

Application consideration

For a new food program to be considered by OFH, there must be an established need in the agency’s community. Ozarks Food Harvest reserves the right to review the concentration of organizations within the area under consideration. In communities with higher concentration of agencies, The Food Bank encourages collaboration with existing programs. Currently, Ozarks Food Harvest’s focus is on those agencies that reach underserved areas such as rural communities, where poverty is particularly severe and resources are limited.

The Food Bank's counties that are served through distributions through partner organizations.

Preliminary membership requirements

IRS Affiliation

  • 501(c)(3) Letter of Determination or
  • Faith-based Qualifier Checklist with supporting documentation

Private Foundation 501C3’s are not eligible to be an agency partner

Partnership Requirements

  • Located within Ozarks Food Harvest’s 28-county service area
  • An established pantry/feeding program in the community for at least six months
  • Must not charge for food, be reimbursed, compensated or require services in exchange for food
  • Willing to adhere to the guidelines established in OFH’s Membership Agreement
  • Pay a $75 application fee

Pantry Requirements

Pantry must be:

  • Open a minimum of twice a month, but preferably four times a month
  • Client-Choice
  • Willing to utilize our Service Insights data system (Free)
  • Serving a minimum of 50 families per month
  • Willing to have at least two staff members complete a food handler for food banking, or equivalent certification class (can be obtained through The Food Bank – Free of charge, once membership has been approved)

Feeding Program Requirements

Feeding Program must:

  • Provide a health inspection or food observation certificate, depending on county requirements
  • Have at least one person on staff that holds a Manager level food handler certification (i.e. ServSafe)

Benefits of Membership

As a member, you can:

  • Access donated products, including fresh produce
  • Supplement your inventory through our Purchased Product Program
  • Order food anytime with our easy-to-use online menu, available 24/7
  • Receive support through a range of grants, including capacity-building, food, and emergency funding.

Application request

To ensure we build strong, effective partnerships that best serve our community, we ask prospective organizations to complete a short set of introductory questions. This helps us better understand your mission, capacity, and the population you serve before moving forward with the full application process.

No pressure –  this step is simply to help guide the process.  We’ll follow up with next steps

Other things to consider before hitting “SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST”

The Food Bank cannot extend membership under the following circumstances:

Blessing Boxes –  The Food Bank is unable to extend membership to organizations seeking assistance in stocking blessing boxes due to the unique nature of these distribution methods.  Our network is required to adhere to strict guidelines regarding the receipt, storage, and distribution of grocery products to ensure food safety and quality.  Because blessing boxes are openly accessible to the public, we cannot guarantee or verify that items placed within them have been handled in accordance with these standards.  As a result, we are unable to support this type of distribution.

One-time food requests – The Food Bank is also unable to fulfill one-time food requests or provide food for events to organizations that are not members of our network. All food distribution must occur through approved partner agencies that meet our membership requirements and comply with established guidelines for food safety, storage and handling.  This ensures that all products are distributed responsibly and in accordance with our standards.

  • Requests are accepted between February 1 and September 30 of each year.
  • The complete application process may take up to six weeks, depending on staff schedules
  • Food program must not be in the “planning stage”.

SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST

All of Ozarks Food Harvest’s partner agencies comply with a non-discrimination policy and are prohibited from refusing service to anyone based on race, creed, religious or political affiliation, gender or sexual preferences. Agencies are also prohibited from requiring participation in any religious services or activities in exchange for Ozarks Food Harvest’s food or services.

I make sure the kids have food. Sometimes my husband and I go days without eating so that the kids will.

Rebecca, age 34