Hunger doesn’t stop after the holidays
In November and December, donors contributed financial gifts, local businesses hosted food and fund drives and new faces stepped into our volunteer center. There was an incredible outpouring of kindness and philanthropy during the holiday season throughout the Ozarks.
These thoughtful gifts provided thousands of meals for families facing hunger during the holiday season. Because of you, they were able to put a special holiday meal on the table.
As a new year began, gifts to The Food Bank slowed down. And unfortunately, hunger doesn’t stop after the holidays. In fact, it escalates as winter drags on.
For food-insecure families, end-of-year expenses become a harsh reality in January and February. And for so many of these families, when the money runs out, the food does, too.
That’s why year-round giving is vital to the health of The Food Bank—and to the lives of the people we serve. With 1 in 5 children and 1 in 7 adults in the Ozarks living with food insecurity day in and day out, your gift matters more than ever.
As you may know, every dollar donated to The Food Bank helps provide four meals for people in need. Your donations help support people like Sandra, a single mom who has trouble caring for her family.
“I can’t afford to feed everyone, so I get this food. This gives me one less bill to pay,” she shared.
Monetary donations to The Food Bank not only help provide food for our partner pantries, but they also sustain the Weekend Backpack Program, the Senior Food Program, the Retail Pick-Up Program and so much more. These programs help provide meals for thousands of children, families and seniors every single day of the year.
Last fall, Ozarks Food Harvest received its eighth consecutive four-star rating from Charity Navigator, indicating The Food Bank outperforms most other charities in America. Out of the more than 9,000 charities evaluated by Charity Navigator, only four percent have received at least eight consecutive four-star evaluations.
We’re incredibly humbled by this honor—and we hope it assures you that each and every dollar you donate to The Food Bank is being used to bring meals and hope to families across 28 counties in southwest Missouri.
Thank you for your holiday gifts—and thank you in advance for your 2020 donations. If you have questions about how your donation is being used, give Bart a call.
Together, we’ll bring hope to hungry families in 2020.