Media

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Sixty local grocery stores collected more than $27,000 for Ozarks Food Harvest during the nonprofit’s annual Check Out Hunger campaign.

Check Out Hunger gives shoppers the opportunity to add a $1 tax-free donation to their grocery bill when checking out at select southwest Missouri grocers including Akin’s, Bistro Market, Country Mart, Dillons, Harter House, Murfin’s Market, Price Cutter, Ramey, Smillie’s Market, Smitty’s, Summer Fresh and Woods.

After receiving final checks, Ozarks Food Harvest announces that the combined total is more than $27,000 collected—nearly double last year’s grand total. The funding will help feed the now approximately 20,000 clients who access The Food Bank’s member food pantries weekly across 28 Ozarks counties.

Price Cutter Plus on E. Battlefield in Springfield collected more donations than any other participating store at $2,038. The top cashier at the store was Pat Mavis who collected donations from 1,329 of her customers.

Nearly 40 communities participated in Check Out Hunger during November and December, including Aurora, Bolivar, Branson, Branson West, Buffalo, Carthage, Cassville, Clever, Conway, El Dorado Springs, Fair Grove, Forsyth, Granby, Greenfield, Hollister, Joplin, Lamar, Lebanon, Marionville, Marshfield, Monett, Mt. Vernon, Neosho, Nevada, Nixa, Ozark, Purdy, Republic, Seymour, Springfield, Stockton, Waynesville, Webb City, West Plains and Willard.

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About Ozarks Food Harvest—The Food Bank
Ozarks Food Harvest is the only food bank in southwest Missouri, serving more than 300 hunger relief organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. The Food Bank reaches 20,000 individuals weekly and distributes nine million pounds of food annually. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org and at facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest.