Hy-Vee partners with regional food bank to feed hungry
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— The Springfield Hy-Vee is the newest store to participate in Ozarks Food Harvest’s Retail Pick-Up Program, which rescues products that do not meet standards for retail sale, but remain safe for consumption.
Ozarks Food Harvest drivers pick up an average of 2,500 pounds of food weekly from Hy-Vee in South Springfield and bring the food back to its distribution center, the O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief, for delivery to member agencies across 28 southwest Missouri counties.
Hy-Vee joined OFH’s Retail Pick-Up Program last October and has since donated 61,000 pounds of food. Within six months, more than 100 pick-ups have been made, averaging 585 pounds of food each — equivalent to 450 meals.
“We appreciate our partnership with Hy-Vee, especially during these hard times when many of our clients are forced to choose between high fuel prices and rising food costs,” said Bart Brown, president/CEO at Ozarks Food Harvest. “Our collaborative effort helps ease the burden for families struggling to put food on their tables.”
The Food Bank collects 200,000 pounds of food monthly from area stores, including 29 Walmart Supercenters, five Dillon Stores (Kroger), three Sam’s Clubs and three Targets in 24 communities across 19 counties. OFH established its food rescue program with retailers in 2008.
Ozarks Food Harvest distributes one million pounds of food and supplies monthly to 250 nonprofit member food pantries and feeding sites, serving nearly 20,000 individuals weekly.
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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 hunger relief organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. The Food Bank distributes 12 million pounds of food annually to 170,000 unduplicated individuals. OFH was named the 2011 Small Business of the Year by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, and its facility, the O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief, recently received a Superior AIB International Food Safety Rating. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.