Hy-Vee donates more than 3,500 gallons of milk for hunger relief
Springfield business has supported hunger relief in southwest Missouri since 2012
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Hy-Vee, in partnership with Ozarks Food Harvest, raised over $9,000 in March to provide more than 3,500 gallons of milk to families struggling with hunger in southwest Missouri.
The campaign, as part of Feeding America’s Great American Milk Drive, asked customers to donate $2 or $4 at the register for a half gallon or full gallon of milk to benefit families in food insecure households. The $9,000 raised by the Hy-Vee in Springfield ranked them in the top 10 of Hy-Vee stores across the nation who participated in the milk drive.
“We’re proud to partner with Ozarks Food Harvest to provide milk to those in need in southwest Missouri,” said Doug Mezger, store director of Hy-Vee in Springfield. “It gives Hy-Vee, as well as our customers, a chance to help our community by giving back.”
The Great American Milk Drive seeks to deliver nutrient-rich gallons of milk to families in need by partnering food banks with grocery stores and dairy vendors in their area. The average food insecure family in Missouri may only be able to access one gallon of milk per year, but may need up to 68 gallons per year to meet the daily recommended amount.
“Milk is one of the most requested and rarely donated food items at Ozarks Food Harvest,” said Denise Gibson, director of development and communication at Ozarks Food Harvest. “Thanks to Hy-Vee, we can ensure our neighbors in need will receive a good source of protein and nourishment that is often missing from their diet.”
Hiland Dairy allowed Hy-Vee to purchase milk at cost with the funds and have it shipped directly to The Food Bank for agency distribution. Last year’s milk drive raised more than $2,000 for the 261,300 unduplicated individuals Ozarks Food Harvest serves each year.
Hy-Vee is also a retail donation partner and participant in Ozarks Food Harvest’s Check Out Hunger event, which combined has provided more than 840,000 meals to The Food Bank since 2012.
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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 17 million meals annually. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.