Local egg distributer donates 240,000 eggs just in time for Easter
Egg donation provides families across southwest Missouri with high-protein meals
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Ozarks Food Harvest will receive a donation of nearly 20,000 one-dozen eggs from area egg distributor Opal Foods on Thursday to help feed families in southwest Missouri.
This year’s gift of 240,000 eggs brings the total donation from Opal Foods to more than three quarters of a million eggs since the annual Easter season egg donation began in 2008.
“Eggs are a prized item at Ozarks Food Harvest and our member pantries because of their high protein and nutritional value,” said Bart Brown, president/CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest. “Fresh eggs can be a hard item for The Food Bank to acquire, so we’re extremely grateful for our friends at Opal Foods and their generosity over the past nine years.”
Opal Foods is a franchisee of Eggland’s Best located in Neosho and receives many of its eggs from Missouri farmers. The distributor worked with a local transportation company, Certified Express, Inc., to deliver the eggs to The Food Bank.
“The Opal team is proud to partner up with Ozarks Food Harvest with their vast outreach into the community,” said Jerry Welch, CEO at Opal Foods. “This egg donation is one way we can contribute to our neighbors in our community during the Easter season.”
One in four people in southwest Missouri receive food from The Food Bank and its network of member agencies. The nutrition these hungry children, families and seniors receive from food like eggs is critical as hunger-relief agencies work to solve hunger in the Ozarks.
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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 million meals annually to more than 260,000 unduplicated individuals. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.
About Opal Foods
Opal Foods formed in 2014 through a partnership between AGR Partners, Rose Acre Farms and Weaver Brothers. Opal Foods is headquartered in Neosho, Missouri. The company has more than 250 employees, all previously employed by Moark in the Midwest. Opal Foods is a franchisee of Eggland’s Best. Learn more at opal-foods.com.
About Certified Express, Inc.
Certified Express, Inc., is a refrigerated transportation company based in Neosho, Missouri. CEI has been in business since April 2003 and currently operates 110 power units and a fleet of 160 53-foot refrigerated trailers. Both the power units and trailers are equipped with satellite tracking services. The company offers services 24/7.