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Ozarks Food Harvest donated their 10 millionth meal to the Crosslines Food Pantry on Tuesday in celebration of their 33-year-long partnership that began in 1990. Through their partnership with Ozarks Food Harvest, Crosslines Food Pantry distributes USDA food, Senior Boxes, fresh produce and additional food items to more than 1,700 families each month.

The Food Bank is celebrating milestones for its network of 270 faith-based and community charities spread across a third of the state of Missouri. Crosslines, a leading food pantry in Greene County, was chosen as the second network partner to be celebrated due to their long history with The Food Bank and their efforts to end hunger in Greene County.

“The partnership we’ve enjoyed with Ozarks Food Harvest these last 33 years has been crucial to the food assistance we provide to our neighbors in need,” said Nathan Mortenson, program manager of Crosslines. “We are so grateful for the work that Bart and his team do to support pantries like ours all across the region.”

Crosslines and Ozarks Food Harvest representatives gave remarks about their history and partnership, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of Ozarks Food Harvest’s truck unloading area to celebrate the donation of the 10 millionth meal.

“This was an excellent chance to showcase Crosslines’ remarkable work and highlight the urgent need for support from the community,” said Bart Brown, president and CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest. “We’re so lucky to have partners like Crosslines when so many families are facing hunger.”

Since 2010, Ozarks Food Harvest has provided more than $240,000 in grant funding and 12 million pounds of food to the Crosslines Food Pantry. Ozarks Food Harvest also delivers food, door-to-door, free of charge to its network of faith-based and community partners to ensure they can focus on feeding families.

Over the last seven months, the Crosslines Food Pantry has experienced a dramatic increase in demand for food from Greene County residents. On average, 41% more households are requesting food assistance compared to the same time period last year. Many of the families are likely using the food pantry for the first-time as 1 in 4 households served did not request assistance the previous year. If you are interested in volunteering or donating, please visit Crosslines’ website at CCOzarks.org/Crosslines.

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About Ozarks Food Harvest — The Food Bank
Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, serving 270 faith-based and community charities across a third of Missouri. The Food Bank reaches 70,000 individuals monthly and provides more than 20 million meals annually. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or instagram.com/ozarksfoodharvest.

About Council of Churches of the Ozarks (CCO)
Council of Churches of the Ozarks (CCO), is a faith-based 501©3 serving southwest Missouri since 1969. Its mission is to improve the quality of life of our most vulnerable neighbors by doing together what can best be done together in the name of Jesus Christ. With wrap-a-round support services available through multiple outreach programs, such as Crosslines Food Pantry, the Council meets community needs affecting infant to elder. Through the efforts of compassionate individuals from a variety of denominations and backgrounds, CCO has been inspiring hope for families, children, seniors and adults for more than fifty years. For more information about the services and agencies of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks, visit ccozarks.org.