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Egg donation provides food-insecure families across the Ozarks with high-protein meal option

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Ozarks Food Harvest received a donation of 25,200 dozen eggs from local egg producer Opal Foods on April 7 to help feed families facing hunger.

This year’s generous gift of 302,400 eggs will bring the total donation from Opal Foods to more than 3.6 million eggs since the annual Easter season egg donation began in 2008.

“This donation from Opal is essential for families facing hunger, especially right now in the midst of COVID-19,” said Bart Brown, president/CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest. “Eggs serve as an excellent source of protein, and they’re so versatile. We’re thankful for Opal and this continued partnership that helps provide eggs to so many of our hunger-relief partners across the Ozarks.”

Opal Foods is a franchisee of Eggland’s Best and produces eggs in Missouri, Colorado and Iowa. The company, headquartered in Neosho, employs over 300 people. The producer is working with Huntington Woods Logistics to deliver the eggs to The Food Bank free of charge.

“The Opal Foods team is honored to enter our 13th year of partnering with Ozarks Foods Harvest this Easter season,” said Brock Peterson, president of Opal Foods. “During this time of extreme uncertainty for communities facing the COVID-19 crisis, Opal Foods is proud to help these communities in any way possible.”

One in 5 children and 1 in 7 adults struggle with hunger in the Ozarks. The nutrition these children, families and seniors receive from food like eggs is critical as hunger-relief organizations continue to work toward solving hunger.

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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 18.5 million meals annually. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.