Ozarks Food Harvest’s monthly donors play a critical role in meeting the needs of our neighbors facing hunger. While every donation makes an impact, consistent monthly giving through our Harvest Circle Program allows The Food Bank to plan ahead and respond to immediate needs.
In December 2022, Congress passed a spending package that created the most significant nationwide anti-hunger program in nearly 50 years – the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program.
In May 2011, an unforgettable EF5 tornado struck the city of Joplin. With thousands of buildings destroyed and infrastructure impacted, families lost access to housing and crucial resources for weeks. The destruction and devastation caused by the storm was so historic that it garnered national attention. Residents, organizations, and churches stepped up to lend their neighbors a much needed hand, and from the aftermath of the storm, Mission Joplin was founded.
Ozarks Food Harvest will invest nearly $400,000 this year to provide nutritious food to rural families facing hunger thanks to two recent grants from Feeding America and Tyson Foods.
At Ozarks Food Harvest, our mission is to Transform Hunger into Hope in the Ozarks, because no one should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. Food is a basic human need that helps us feel steady. For one of our partner charities, COPE, two more basic needs require urgent attention: safety and security.
Do opposites attract? For Jack and Kitty Williams, that certainly seems true. The couple has been married for 50 years. When asked for two words to describe themselves, Jack was “slow and steady” and Kitty was “fast and furious.” Although these descriptions sound opposing, their complementary tendencies are the perfect combination to keep the Williams involved in their communities.
For more than 50 years, Feeding America food banks have been providing meals to neighbors in need and working to raise awareness about hunger. Yet it wasn’t until the pandemic, when so many lost their jobs, that hunger became a top issue for America: the government held a conference to address it, food banks topped charity lists for the first time, and need for food assistance spiked across the country.
When you work with a hunger relief organization, you see the devastating effects food insecurity takes on individuals and communities every day, and it’s heartbreaking.
The goal isn’t only to feed the neighbors in need that come to us – it is to feed every neighbor in need including the ones that can’t get to us. It is a challenge that needs innovative solutions. How do you identify where the needs are? How do you make the greatest impact on people and communities? Sometimes, the answer is to collaborate with other charitable organizations.
“When the senior center told us they were closing because of COVID, it was a bad day,” shared Daniel in Greenfield, MO. He’s a retiree that visits the Dade County Senior Center every weekday for lunch and a game of dominoes.
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 allows you to extend your charitable giving beyond your lifetime and make a difference for families like Ricky and Natalie’s.