In a time of unprecedented need, ongoing challenges and new successes, Ozarks Food Harvest is celebrating milestones as a reminder of just how important our mission to Transform Hunger into Hope is for the future of our communities. In December, The Food Bank held our first milestone event to celebrate donating our 6 millionth meal to Least of These and 25 years of partnership.
As we transition from the holiday season into 2024, Ozarks Food Harvest is still serving more than 70,000 individuals each month – nearly 20,000 more than during the height of the COVID-19 crisis. People are experiencing the daunting challenges of winter, including higher utility bills, childcare, housing and food costs. Although thousands of donors and volunteers helped us during the holiday season to ensure families could put a meal on the table, there’s still work to be done.
I’m so proud to share with you that Ozarks Food Harvest received a superior food safety score of 955 out of 1,000 from AIB International this fiscal year! We also earned a perfect score for our cleanliness and sanitation practices in our warehouse.
If you, or someone you love, are looking for ways to make a difference for future generations, Ozarks Food Harvest offers planned giving opportunities. A planned gift is a powerful way to extend your charitable giving beyond your lifetime and leave a legacy of hope for our neighbors facing hunger.
For Chris McCune, working with seniors is a mission much more than it is a job. She’s the regional services director for Care Connection for Aging Services, the umbrella agency that operates the Rivers Crossing Life Center in Osceola. Chris began her career in senior services at the Rivers Crossing Life Center, and her powerful stories remind us why senior centers like these are so impactful.
Ozarks Food Harvest is asking community members to help provide 2,024 meals in 2024 by participating in their Resolve to Get Involved volunteer campaign.
Ozarks Food Harvest was excited to celebrate with Central Bank of the Ozarks in December as they reached their 1,000th hour of volunteerism at The Food Bank. At a well-deserved celebration of their achievement last month, Ozarks Food Harvest staff presented Central Bank with their own 1,000-hour apple plaque to be displayed on The Food Bank’s Gift of Time Tree.
In the small, close-knit community of Eminence, Mo., a food pantry located in the heart of town has a lot of heart for its residents. “Our pantry thrives on bringing joy, compassion and helping others in all aspects of their lives,” says Patty Raye Jones, director of Eminence Food Pantry, which has served as a focal point of aid and support for their neighbors for nearly eight years.
As you gather with loved ones this holiday season to share meals and create memories, consider making an investment in food for others with Ozarks Food Harvest. This act of generosity can make a profound difference in the lives of families facing hunger in the upcoming year. Your gifts will make meals and warm memories possible for our neighbors who need them most.
The Food Bank is bustling with activity to make sure thousands of neighbors can put a holiday meal on the table. This is happening in the midst of an increased demand for food assistance that’s higher than the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this season of giving, year-end gifts will allow The Food Bank to continue giving hope to our neighbors facing hunger.