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Sixty-five grocers participated in 21st Check Out Hunger supporting Ozarks Food Harvest

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—Sixty-five area grocery stores partnered with Ozarks Food Harvest for the 21st annual Check Out Hunger campaign, raising $42,800 from customer donations to provide more than 171,200 meals across the Ozarks.

The fundraiser wrapped up at the end of December, but The Food Bank received checks from retailers throughout the first few months of 2020. This is an ideal time for Ozarks Food Harvest to receive a financial boost, as charitable donations tend to drop after the holidays.

“Helping others is top of mind during the holiday season,” said Denise Gibson, development and communication director at Ozarks Food Harvest. “We’re thankful for how local grocery partners and their customers want to help make the biggest impact they can every year during this fundraiser.”

Check Out Hunger gives shoppers the opportunity to add a $1, $3 or $5 tax-free donation to their grocery bill at the register of participating retailers during the holiday season.

Store managers have employees ask each customer if they would like to donate. This year, Harter House Nixa employees raised more donations than any other store to help provide nearly 44,000 meals.

“We are amazed that after eight years of asking customers to support Ozarks Food Harvest, they do not disappoint! We are truly blessed to have a community that supports our local business and their local community the way that they do,” said Cody Crosby, office manager at Harter House in Nixa. “There isn’t any other charity that has the reach and effectiveness in battling hunger that Ozarks Food Harvest does. Our customers and employees recognize that and are always more than happy to offer support.”

In 2019, participating stores included Apple Market, Country Mart, Harter House, Hy-Vee, King Cash Saver, King Food Saver, Murfin’s Market, Price Cutter, Ramey, Rhodes Family Price Chopper, Summer Fresh, Town & Country Supermarket and Woods Supermarket.

Since the fundraiser began in 1998, Check Out Hunger has helped provide more than 2.7 million meals in the Ozarks.

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About Ozarks Food Harvest — The Food Bank
Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, providing food to 270 organizations across 28 Ozarks counties serving 261,000 unduplicated individuals. The Food Bank provides more than 18.5 million meals annually. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.