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Volunteers play a crucial role in Ozarks Food Harvest’s mission to solve hunger in the Ozarks.

Every day volunteers visit The Food Bank ready to lend a hand with a community of people brought together by their passion to help others.

Food Bank staff celebrate the accomplishments of volunteers year-round, but especially in April during National Volunteer Month — a time to honor and thank the volunteers who give their energy and talent to help feed their neighbors in need.

Dedicated volunteers give hundreds of hours of their time to sort and pack 80,000 pounds of food every week. This hard work allows Ozarks Food Harvest to provide 14 million meals annually to children, families and seniors who may not know where their next meal will come from.

“Making sure that people have enough to eat is something I have a passion for – and Ozarks Food Harvest is the strongest force that I know of out here,” shared Lou Ann Cornelison, a volunteer for nearly six years. “The outreach is to all ages, and helping 28 counties is exceptional. I really feel at home.”

Because of faithful volunteers, kids in the Ozarks will not have to go to bed hungry, families can feel hope instead of worry and seniors do not have to choose between paying the electric bill or buying medicine.