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
21 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 120 grocers every week. These donations account for roughly 5.6 million pounds of food that Ozarks Food Harvest distributes annually. Rescuing food before it goes to waste, OFH 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 120 area retailers, including these partners.
46
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 OFH member pantries who pick-up the donations in their communities. OFH picks up from eight in the Springfield area.
13
Aldi
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, Food Bank staff pick up food donations from seven Price Cutter stores in Springfield and one in Republic multiple times a week.
5
Woods Supermarkets
OFH agencies in communities such as Bolivar and Nevada participate in this donation program.
4
Apple Markets
Food Bank partners in Ash Grove, Billings, Nixa & Republic pick up from stores in Willard, Ozark, Clever & Marionville.
4
Big Lots
The store donates nonperishable food to The Food Bank.
3
Ozarks Grocers
Pennington's in Ash Grove, Rhodes Family Price Chopper in Branson & Richards Brothers in Mtn. Grove all donate every month.
3
Sam's Clubs
OFH drivers pick-up from two stores in Springfield, while an OFH 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
Harps
Two Harps stores in Carl Junction, Anderson and Seligman provide food donations each week to families across the Ozarks.
1
Sunfest Market
The store donates assorted refrigerated products to Christian Action Ministries.
1
Hy-Vee
An OFH driver stops at Hy-Vee Springfield for weekly product donations that add up quickly.
1
Fort Leonard Wood Commissary
Food Bank partners in Waynesville pick up donations from the Fort Commissary.
1
Pennington's Supermarket
Ash Grove Food Pantry partners with this supermarket.
1
Rhode's Price Chopper
The store donates bakery, refrigerated and dry food to an agency serving the Branson area.
1
Richards Brothers Supermarket
Mt. Grove Love Center partners with this store for retail donations
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.
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
Provide nutritional meals to those in need in the Ozarks
*OFH 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.
