Retail Pick-Up Program

Having access to quality, safe food is a basic human right. We are proud to be partners with Ozarks Food Harvest by donating our unsold food to help fight food insecurity in our local communities, and frankly, it’s just the right thing to do. Graham McCaleb, District Supervisor of area Kum & Go stores

Retail Pick-Up

22 percent of the meals Ozarks Food Harvest provides comes from area retail partners

The Food Bank coordinates pick-ups of product donations from more than 140 grocers every week. These donations account for roughly 6 million pounds of food that Ozarks Food Harvest distributes annually. Rescuing food before it goes to waste, Ozarks Food Harvest quickly delivers the product to its network of pantries and food programs to benefit those in need.

Retail Pick-Up donations include fresh produce, frozen meat, dairy and other perishable goods, as well as nonperishable products. It’s often food that does not meet standards for retail sales but is still safe for consumption. Paper goods and hygiene items that might have packaging defects are also donated. All of these products are carefully inspected and sorted at the O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief before being passed to consumers.

Retail Partners

Every week, Food Bank drivers or pantry staff picks up donations from more than 140 area retailers, including these partners.

  • 50

    Kum & Go markets

    Kum & Go donations provide fresh, ready-to-eat sandwiches and deli items for pantries.

  • 34

    Walmart Supercenters

    Twenty-six Supercenters are connected directly to Ozarks Food Harvest-member pantries who pick-up the donations in their communities. OFH picks up from eight in the Springfield area.

  • 13

    Aldi

    The Food Bank and pantry staff pick up donations from Aldi stores across the Ozarks.

  • 9

    Walmart Neighborhood Markets

    Donations from the Walmart Neighborhood Market locations are picked up by The Food Bank and partners weekly.

  • 8

    Price Cutter

    Added in 2017, The Food Bank staff pick up food donations from seven Price Cutter stores in Springfield and one in Republic multiple times a week.

  • 8

    Starbucks

    Partner agencies receive donations from various Starbucks locations.

  • 7

    Little Caesar's Pizza

    Several Ozarks Food Harvest agencies benefit from this partnership.

  • 5

    Woods Supermarkets

    Ozarks Food Harvest agencies in communities such as Bolivar and Nevada participate in this donation program.

  • 5

    Big Lots

    The store donates nonperishable food to The Food Bank.

  • 4

    Apple Markets

    The Food Bank partners in Ash Grove, Billings, Nixa & Republic pick up from stores in Willard, Ozark, Clever & Marionville.

  • 3

    Sam's Clubs

    Ozarks Food Harvest drivers pick-up from two stores in Springfield, while an Ozarks Food Harvest agency picks up from SAM's Club in Joplin.

  • 3

    Target stores

    Target in Springfield, Branson & Joplin donate market goods as well as paper products and hygiene items.

  • 2

    Hy-Vee

    An Ozarks Food Harvest driver stops at each Hy-Vee Springfield for weekly product donations that add up quickly.

  • 1

    Harps

    Carl Junction Harp's Store provides food donations each week to families across the Ozarks.

  • 1

    Sunfest Market

    The store donates assorted refrigerated products to Christian Action Ministries.

  • 1

    Fort Leonard Wood Commissary

    The Food Bank partners in Waynesville pick up donations from the Fort Commissary.

  • 1

    Muncy's Supermarket

    Ash Grove Food Pantry partners with this supermarket.

  • 1

    Rhode's Family Price Chopper

    The store donates bakery, refrigerated and dry food to an agency serving the Branson area.

  • 1

    DoorDash Market

    Center City Well of Life partners with this store for retail donations.

  • 1

    Costco

    Ozarks Food Harvest drivers pick-up from one store in Springfield.

  • 1

    Gopuff

    Ozarks Food Harvest drivers pick-up from their Springfield location.

  • 1

    Imperial LLC

    This company partners with Salvation Army Joplin.

  • 1

    Natural Grocers

    Ozarks Food Harvest drivers pick-up from their Springfield location.

  • 1

    White Oak Station

    St. Joseph Catholic Church in Billings picks up donations from this Clever store.

Working together for hunger relief

Walmart Store Donation Program

Ozarks Food Harvest was one of the first Feeding America food banks to implement a Retail Pick-Up Program, serving as a pilot food bank with Walmart in 2008. The success led to the establishment of Walmart’s partnership with food banks across the country, and now several local grocers team up to help reduce waste while feeding those in need. In 2014, a grant from the Walmart Foundation made it possible for OFH to hire a program coordinator.

Contact Program Coordinator

Become a Retail Pick-Up Partner

Grocers and retailers in the Ozarks have an important choice

Let perfectly edible food go to waste — or participate in an alternative that exists to feed local children, families and seniors in need. Ozarks Food Harvest provides a valuable option, even when compared to the secondary market.

Consider these possibilities for donation.

  • Close-to-code or out-of-code items with extended use-by dates
  • Discontinued items or test product inventory
  • Unlabeled items, mislabeled items, private label items or packaging changes
  • Off-spec items, partial cases or overruns
  • Promotional or season items
  • Customer returns, refusals, reclamation or salvage products
  • Prepared and perishable items or bulk and foodservice-size product—The Food Bank can quickly get it to an agency serving prepared or bulk meals
  • Donating food and product saves retailers from disposal costs
  • There is no transportation fee—donations are picked up free of charge
  • Valuable floor space is not wasted with surplus storage
  • Product inventory is tracked and monitored for recalls by Ozarks Food Harvest staff
  • The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects from civil and criminal liability

Mobile Pantry Program

Retail Pick-up Program

  • Receive valuable tax credits*
  • Gain additional positive public recognition
  • Support southwest Missouri communities
  • Provide nutritional meals to those in need in the Ozarks

*Ozarks Food Harvest partner organizations are eligible for a number of tax benefits. For a summary of the effect current tax laws have on the treatment, under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), of donations of appreciated ordinary income property when contributed by corporations to charitable organizations, click here.

Consider a donation of surplus or unsaleable product

Contact Ozarks Food Harvest for donation assistance. The Food Bank can help simplify the process.

Call Julie Woodiel at (417) 865-3411.

  • Determine types of food or grocery product that can be donated
  • Discuss frequency of donations
  • Design a product pick-up schedule that is convenient
  • Consider what receipts and acknowledgements are needed
  • Discuss any concerns that you may have
  • Plan a tour of the O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief, Ozarks Food Harvest’s warehouse facility