We’ve got to keep the roof over our heads, wood on the porch and food in our bellies. This helps a lot.Herb, age 74
Getting nutritious food to seniors is a priority for OFH
The Food Bank’s Senior Food program supplements the diets of low-income seniors with nutritious USDA food. More than 4,100 seniors, age 60 and older who live at or below 130% of the poverty level, receive monthly food boxes at Ozarks Food Harvest partner agencies like senior centers, churches and pantries. Ozarks Food Harvest has these resources available in all 28 counties of its service area. The food items provided act as a supplement of the nutrients typically lacking in the diets of seniors in need. All of these USDA commodities are packaged into the boxes solely by Ozarks Food Harvest volunteers at the O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief. The Food Bank also partners with several senior centers to distribute food via meal or pantry programs.
50K
Senior Food Boxes
assembled and distributed by Ozarks Food Harvest annually
45
Partner sites
provide the boxes to income-eligible seniors
1.2M
Meals
served each year via the Senior Food Boxes
How does it work?
USDA provides food to The Food Banks
This food, along with other federal USDA Foods sent to Ozarks Food Harvest, make up about 20 percent of The Food Bank’s total annual distribution. The USDA Foods that Ozarks Food Harvest volunteers assemble into the Senior Food boxes include items such as canned vegetables and fruits, peanut butter, beans, canned meat, cereal, milk, cheese, rice and pasta. Each package contains approximately 30 pounds of food, or 25 meals.
Note: Seniors must live in the county where the program is available.
All of Ozarks Food Harvest’s partner agencies comply with a non-discrimination policy and are prohibited from refusing service to anyone based on race, creed, religious or political affiliation, gender or sexual preferences. Agencies are also prohibited from requiring participation in any religious services or activities in exchange for Ozarks Food Harvest’s food or services.
View the USDA’s Nondiscrimination Statement clicking here.
It’s extremely hard being laid off when you have five kids. I’ve been looking for work. Without this, my children would go hungry.
