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Food bank receives $125K from Walmart, offering funding to member pantries as matching grant

Food bank receives $125K from Walmart, offering funding to member pantries as matching grant

July 18, 2012

WHAT:  Press conference to announce a $125,000 matching grant Ozarks Food Harvest is receiving from the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program. The regional food bank for 250 pantries and agencies is using the funding as a matching grant opportunity, potentially leveraging the gift to $250,000 — the equivalent of 1.5 million meals for southwest Missouri children, families and seniors in need.

WHEN:  Thursday, July 26 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:  O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief, 2810 N. Cedarbrook Ave., Springfield, Mo.

WHY:  Nearly 173,000 individuals living in southwest Missouri, or 16 percent, continue to face food insecurity. They are unsure of where their next meal will come from and unfortunately, one-quarter of these individuals have income levels that disqualify them from receiving federal
assistance.

WHO: Local nonprofits will be invited to participate in the challenge, and past grant recipients will be available for interview. The Springfield mayor, city council members and other officials have also been invited to the press conference.

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About Ozarks Food Harvest—The Food Bank
Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, serving 250 organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. The Food Bank distributes 10 million meals annually to 170,000 unduplicated individuals. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.

About Philanthropy at Walmart
The Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability and health and wellness. In fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2012, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation donated $958.9 million in cash and in-kind contributions around the globe. The company’s U.S. giving grew nearly 20%, largely due to increased donations of food to local food banks from Walmart stores, Sam’s Club locations and distribution centers. To learn more, visit walmartfoundation.org.