In the small town of Waynesville, MO, working parents trust neighbor Mary to take care of their children while they work long hours. Mary makes sure the kids get to school on time after eating a healthy breakfast. After school, she picks the kids up and cooks dinner for them. In the summertime, Mary cares for the children throughout the day, too.
Twice a week, Kris Dreesen drives in from Fair Grove to spend her mornings sorting food for families facing hunger in the Ozarks. Her story with Ozarks Food Harvest began nearly 10 years ago when she was looking for a place to volunteer regularly.
Hunger Action Month is always an exciting time at The Food Bank, and this year was no exception. Each September, we partner with local businesses and ask them to take action against hunger. Whether they choose to host food drives, donate funds or raise awareness through social media, our partners demonstrate passion for Ozarks Food Harvest’s mission of Transforming Hunger into Hope.
For more than 20 years, Carthage Crisis Center in Carthage, MO, has been helping needy and homeless individuals through difficult times. The center helps men, women and children and has the capacity to house about 45 individuals.
Ozarks Food Harvest and iHeartMedia’s 21st annual Hungerthon wrapped up on Sept. 9, collecting $156,564 for the Weekend Backpack Program. The initiative provides more than 1,600 food-insecure children with food to take home every Friday throughout the entire school year. One in five children in southwest Missouri struggle with hunger, especially on the weekends when school meals aren’t available.
Every Monday and Thursday, Warren Satterfield drives into Springfield from his farm in Elkland to help sort and pack food for hungry families in the Ozarks.
As the only food pantry in Douglas County, Heart of the Hills in Ava serves more than 300 families a month. This agency—which is run primarily by volunteers—provides more than just food for people who are struggling to make ends meet. The agency also area assists residents with rent payments, insurance, and donations of hygiene items and clothing.
Madison Hays, a senior at Missouri State University, began volunteering with Ozarks Food Harvest to fulfill a scholarship obligation. But even after meeting the 120-hour requirement this summer, she kept coming back.
Race-goers showed up in a big way at Lucas Oil Speedway’s annual food drive at the end of July!
For 175 years, YMCAs across the country have developed as communities invite them to meet specific needs. In 2008, the Buffalo community made a commitment to focus on health and youth sports, and the Dallas County Area YMCA was created.