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Happy Holidays from the O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief!

It’s hard to believe another year is almost over. As we reflect on what we’re grateful for throughout this holiday season, I hope that you and your family are blessed with a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food on your plate and the love of family and friends.

For too many of our neighbors, the basic necessities we take for granted are the things they worry about most. Imagine picking your children up from school and driving home knowing there isn’t enough to fill everyone up at dinner. Imagine deciding between paying for your medicine or buying groceries. Imagine your young child thinking more about his or her growling stomach than what presents will be under the Christmas tree.

These are real worries of our neighbors, and they are happening every day in the Ozarks. As a supporter of Ozarks Food Harvest, you know the statistics: one in six adults and one in four children struggle with hunger. Thankfully, there is something to be done.

A year-end gift to Ozarks Food Harvest is a guaranteed way to make a difference in our community. I’ve always been impressed that the staff is able to utilize 96 cents of every $1 donated for feeding programs.

Only four cents of every $1 you donate goes to operating and fundraising costs. That’s a percentage that we can be proud of as donors.

Bart shared with me a story about a young mother who recently visited a Mobile Food Pantry for the first time.

“It’s the holidays and we’ve got three kids, so every bit helps,” Amanda said. “It’s always stretched pretty thin.”

She works full-time, but says it just isn’t enough to cover all her family’s expenses. The produce, meat, bread and nonperishable food will help her family have more nutritious meals.

Waiting in line to pick-up her food, Amanda shared how grateful she was for resources like Ozarks Food Harvest and the donors who fund food assistance programs.

“I think it’s really helpful for our community and there is a huge turnout, so there are obviously a lot of people in need in our community.”

This fiscal year is shaping up to be another record year for Ozarks Food Harvest and the team is on track to distribute more than the record 14.6 million meals distributed this past fiscal year.

But none of this important work is possible without the generosity of people like you. Consider that when you give to Ozarks Food Harvest, they can stretch every $1 to provide $10 worth of food and services.

It takes all of us working together to solve the problem of hunger. Join me by finishing 2016 strong with a year-end gift. Your support will make a tangible impact on the lives of families like Amanda’s.

Give Bart a call today, or visit the donate page to make a secure online gift. Thank you for your help to make the season bright for our neighbors in need.

Charlie O’Reilly is the vice-chair of O’Reilly Automotive’s Board of Directors, a hunger-relief advocate and supporter of Ozarks Food Harvest.

 

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