Ozarks Food Harvest receives $50,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation
Grant will provide funding for infrastructure and equipment for partner agencies
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Thanks to a $50,000 grant awarded by the Walmart Foundation, Ozarks Food Harvest purchased infrastructure and equipment for its partner agencies to distribute more nutritious food to families in need.
Ozarks Food Harvest secures fresh, perishable food from retailers across the Ozarks that it then sorts and distributes to its agency partners. The funds from the Walmart Foundation grant enabled The Food Bank to purchase coolers and freezers for agencies, as well as thermometers and scales, allowing them to safely distribute a greater amount of fresh, nutritious food to their clients.
“Providing our agency partners with the equipment they need to safely distribute perishable foods allows us to allocate more food in the Ozarks,” said Bart Brown, president/CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest. “Thanks to the Walmart Foundation, we are able to further carry out our mission of Transforming Hunger into Hope.”
More than 20 Ozarks Food Harvest agencies received new equipment including Christian Action Ministries in Branson, Christian Associates in Kimberling City, Genesis and Good Samaritan in Waynesville, House of Hope in Bolivar, Jesus Was Homeless in Branson, LifeHouse Catholic Charities in Springfield, Lives Under Construction in Lampe, Salvation Army in Branson, Sarcoxie First Baptist Church, Seneca Food Pantry, several SeniorAge senior centers and St. Joseph Catholic in Springfield.
Since 2009, the Walmart Foundation has been a leading supporter of infrastructure grants to Feeding America food banks and their member agencies. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation provide donations of both food and funds to the Feeding America nationwide network of 200 food banks.
With food insecurity remaining high throughout the Ozarks, the ability to distribute more food is critical. In the Ozarks, 1 in 7 adults is food insecure. Learn about what Ozarks Food Harvest is doing to fight hunger at 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, providing food to 270 organizations across 28 Ozarks counties serving 261,000 unduplicated individuals. The Food Bank provides more than 17 million meals annually. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org, facebook.com/ozarksfoodharvest or twitter.com/ozksfoodharvest.
About Walmart:
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly 270 million customers and members visit our more than 11,700 stores under 59 banners in 28 countries and eCommerce websites. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, facebook.com/walmart or twitter.com/walmart.