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Funds raised will support The Food Bank’s food pantries and feeding programs in southwest Missouri

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — This #GivingTuesday, Ozarks Food Harvest is asking the community to help kick off the charitable giving season by giving back to families facing hunger in southwest Missouri.

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration to encourage support of nonprofit organizations. Following Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, this year’s #GivingTuesday will take place on Dec. 3 and encourage people to give back.

Ozarks Food Harvest has set a fundraising goal of $15,000, which will help provide 60,000 meals to families in the Ozarks. Community members can support The Food Bank by donating through its website or Facebook fundraiser on Dec. 3. Feeding Missouri, the Feeding America food bank coalition for Missouri, will be matching donations dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000.

“Winter can be extremely challenging for food-insecure families,” said Denise Gibson, development and communication director at Ozarks Food Harvest. “All donations made on Giving Tuesday will help provide meals and hope for people facing hunger in southwest Missouri this holiday season.”

More than 261,000 individuals across 28 counties receive food assistance from Ozarks Food Harvest. Many of these individuals are food insecure, meaning they don’t know where their next meal will come from. In southwest Missouri, 1 in 5 children and 1 in 7 adults struggle with food insecurity.

Since 2014, Ozarks Food Harvest has raised nearly $60,000 through #GivingTuesday campaigns to help provide nearly 240,000 meals to food insecure families in the Ozarks.

To make a donation to Ozarks Food Harvest on Dec. 3, visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate.

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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.