Media

Hunger Action Month fundraiser aims to collect $125,000 for the Weekend Backpack Program

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Ozarks Food Harvest and iHeartMedia’s 105.9 KGBX will kick off the 18th annual Hungerthon radio-thon tomorrow morning with a goal of raising $125,000 for the Weekend Backpack Program. This initiative gives over 1,600 local children six nutritious meals to take home on the weekends, when hunger is more prevalent.

Kevin Howard and Liz Delany of 105.9 KGBX will host the four-day Hunger Action Month event from Friday, Sept. 9 through Monday, Sept. 12 asking listeners to sponsor kids on the Weekend Backpack Program. Listeners can also tune in online at kgbx.com or by downloading the iHeartRadio app.

Event hours are 6 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday; 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday; 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunday; and 6-10 a.m., Monday. Listeners can call 417-890-KGBX (5429) to make a pledge, or donate at the event outside iHeartMedia, located at the Historic Tower Theater near Glenstone and Sunshine in Springfield.

For a donation of $300, a child will receive breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and snacks for every Saturday and Sunday of an entire school year. Donors can also sponsor a child for a semester for $150. Those who make a donation of at least $105.90 will receive a free Hungerthon 2016 commemorative T-shirt that can be picked up at the tent outside iHeartMedia.

There are 60 southwest Missouri schools in 17 counties that benefit from Ozarks Food Harvest’s Weekend Backpack Program, which now distributes 57,800 food bags annually.

Last year’s event raised over $125,380 — enough to provide 415 children in need with six nutritious meals every weekend for an entire school year. Since 1999, $1.5 million has been raised through Hungerthon.

Presenting sponsors for this year’s Hungerthon include Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc., Harter House Supermarkets, MassMutual and The Musgrave Foundation. Several local businesses including Family Pharmacy and Sonic are returning as event sponsors.

Community members can donate online outside of event hours at ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate. Designate funds to go to the Weekend Backpack Program. To find out more about Hunger Action Month activities, visit ozarksfoodharvest.org.

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About Ozarks Food Harvest — The Food Bank

Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, serving more than 200 organizations across 28 Ozarks counties. The Food Bank provides 14.6 million meals annually to more than 260,000 unduplicated individuals. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.