For the 13th year in a row, Ozarks Food Harvest has received a Four-Star Rating – the highest rating possible given to charities – from Charity Navigator. I’m proud to share this news with you because it means that Charity Navigator, America’s largest and most utilized independent charity evaluator, recognizes The Food Bank as of the most effective hunger-relief charities in the nation.
This holiday season, as you gather with loved ones to share meals and create cherished memories, consider investing in Ozarks Food Harvest. This act of generosity can make a profound difference in the lives of families facing hunger in the upcoming year.
For over a year, many of our hardworking neighbors have endured high costs of food and basic necessities with little relief. Now as we enter the winter months, families facing hunger are at their breaking point during the most challenging time of year.
Anna has a skill that’s not too common these days, and it’s helping her family keep food in the pantry. She knows how to can her own food. Growing up, Anna remembers watching her grandmother home-can food, preserving the freshness of their fruits and vegetables so that nothing went to waste. Anna always wanted to learn, but it wasn’t until recently that she finally taught herself the skill. Now, she’s using her knowledge not only as a fulfilling hobby, but a way to provide for her family when times are tough.
Pam Moffitt has a lot of empathy for the neighbors she’s helping by volunteering at Ozarks Food Harvest. When asked why she donates her time, Pam answered, “Because myself and my husband have experienced hunger. We’ve had empty cupboards, and we’ve had to make the decision between diapers and food for ourselves. We’ve been given food boxes, and that’s what helped us survive.”
When is the last time you tasted a cucumber? What about an orange or an apple? For one home-bound Lamar senior, she couldn’t remember the last time she had tasted fresh produce. After a mistake with her normal food delivery service, she travelled to the senior center one Friday afternoon to get food to take home.
Each September, Ozarks Food Harvest celebrates Hunger Action Month, the annual advocacy campaign to raise awareness about hunger in the Ozarks and inspire action in the community – but nothing inspires action quite like the community itself.
The holidays are a time for sharing food and making memories, but for many families in the Ozarks, this time of year can be challenging. Previously, 1 in 7 people were facing hunger in southwest Missouri, but now that number has risen to 1 in 5 children and 1 in 6 adults. That means there’s a good chance you know someone that isn’t sure when they will be eating their next meal – much less a holiday meal.
Thanks to supporters like you, Ozarks Food Harvest provided 21 million meals through our network of faith-based and community charities across a third of the state of Missouri in the past year.
In the past year, The Food Bank’s network of faith-based and community charities served an average of 70,000 individuals every month; that’s 20,000 more than during the height of the COVID crisis. Why do we continue to see more working families in need of assistance when things seem to be back to normal?