News

One in four children in the Ozarks may not know where their next meal will come from.

Fortunately, Ozarks Food Harvest is committed to solving this harsh reality.

Because of the incredible support from our donors, we provide kids with food through the Weekend Backpack Program serving 1,600 kids each week in 52 Springfield and rural schools.

Your participation in the second annual Give Ozarks on May 3 is crucial in our continuous fight to end hunger for the children in our community.

By joining with us for this 24-hour online day of fundraising, you can help The Food Bank raise funds to support the Weekend Backpack Program. Without this program, kids are missing out on the life-saving food to take home over the weekend when school breakfasts and lunches are not available.

That’s why we need your help.

Esmerelda, a student who receives food through the program recently shared with us her story.

“We wouldn’t have food without the food bags because we don’t have much money,” Esmerelda wrote. “Sometimes we’ve had to go to bed hungry because we didn’t have money for food.”

This program is critical to ensuring kids won’t go to bed hungry.

During last year’s Give Ozarks, the support of 175 individuals and organizations exceeded our $10,000 goal and raised $14,301 — providing 10,725 meals for hungry children in the Ozarks.

I encourage you to help us feed hungry kids in our community by donating to The Food Bank during this year’s Give Ozarks. Visit Ozarks Food Harvest’s Give Ozarks page to get involved.

Denise Gibson is the director of Development and Communication at Ozarks Food Harvest.