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SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— More than 60 local grocers partnered with Ozarks Food Harvest for the 24th annual Check Out Hunger campaign, raising nearly $42,000 from customer donations to provide more than 165,000 meals across the Ozarks.

The fundraiser wrapped up at the end of December, but The Food Bank received checks from grocers throughout the first three months of 2023. Charitable donations tend to drop after the holidays, which makes this an ideal time for Ozarks Food Harvest to receive a financial boost.

“We’re currently experiencing a higher demand for food than during the height of the pandemic,” said Bart Brown, president/CEO at Ozarks Food Harvest. “These Check Out Hunger donations come at a perfect time to help us feed more families in need of assistance.”

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. Participating grocers include Apple Market, Country Mart, Harter House, King Cash Saver, King Food Saver, Price Cutter, Ramey, Rhodes Family Price Chopper, Town & Country Supermarket and Woods Supermarket.

Harter House stores in Hollister, Kimberling City, Nixa, Shell Knob, Springfield and Strafford have been major contributors to The Food Bank’s Check Out Hunger campaign since 2008. In that time, they have helped provide more than 590,000 meals for children, families and seniors across southwest Missouri.

“We were proud to partner with Ozarks Food Harvest again for their annual Check Out Hunger campaign,” said Andrew Bettlach, owner of two Harter House grocery stores. “It’s a great way to build awareness and give back to the community, especially when so many families continue to face hunger.”

Since 1998, the Check Out Hunger campaign has raised more than $760,000 to help provide more than
3.5 million meals to The Food Bank’s network of 270 community and faith-based charities.

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About Ozarks Food Harvest — The Food Bank
Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, serving 270 hunger-relief organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. The Food Bank reaches 50,000 individuals monthly and provides more than 20 million meals annually. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest, or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.