Media

Check Out Hunger 2017 begins today and runs through Dec. 31

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Seventy-six southwest Missouri grocery stores are teaming up with Ozarks Food Harvest to Check Out Hunger during the 19th annual fundraiser that began yesterday and continues until Dec. 31.

Check Out Hunger gives shoppers the opportunity to add a $1, $3 or $5 tax-free donation to their grocery bill when checking out at area retailers, including Akin’s Natural Foods, Apple Market, Country Mart, Harter House, Hy-Vee, King Cash Saver, Murfin’s Market, Pennington’s Supermarket, Price Cutter, Price Cutter Plus, Ramey, Rhodes Family Price Chopper, Summer Fresh, Town & Country Supermarket and Woods Supermarket.

Shoppers will know if their local grocer is participating by looking for Check Out Hunger signs in the check-out lanes. When a customer chooses to add a donation to his or her grocery bill, the cashier simply scans the donation barcode and the donor signs a paper apple for display. The tax-free gift is added to the bill and appears on the receipt.

In the 28 counties Ozarks Food Harvest serves, 261,000 individuals receive food assistance. Many of these individuals are food insecure, meaning they don’t know where their next meal will come from. In southwest Missouri, one in five children struggle with food insecurity.

“Hunger happens every day of the year for too many children, families and seniors right here in the Ozarks,” said Bart Brown, president/CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest. “We’re so thankful for the generosity shown by local grocers and community members every holiday season during Check Out Hunger. These donations will provide hundreds of thousands of much-needed meals.”

The 2016 fundraiser collected $45,482 — the equivalent of nearly 182,000 meals. Since 1998, the holiday campaign has collected $464,364 — providing nearly 2.28 million meals. Every dollar raised through the Check Out Hunger fundraiser will provide five meals to hungry children, families and seniors this holiday season.

# # #

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 16.4 million meals annually.

ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.

The following communities are participating, and a store listing can be found by clicking here: Ash Grove, Aurora, Ava, Bolivar, Bourbon, Branson, Branson West, Buffalo, Cabool, Carthage, Cassville, Clever, Conway, Crocker, El Dorado Springs, Fair Grove, Forsyth, Gainesville, Granby, Greenfield, Hollister, Houston, Iberia, Joplin, Kimberling City, Lebanon, Licking, Mansfield, Marionville, Marshfield, Monett, Mountain Grove, Mount Vernon,  Mountain View, Neosho, Nevada, Nixa, Ozark, Purdy, Republic, Richland, Rolla, Seymour, Shell Knob, Sparta, Springfield, St. James, Steelville, Stockton, Strafford, Waynesville, West Plains, Willard, Willow Springs and Winona.