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As you gather with loved ones this holiday season to share meals and create memories, consider making an investment in food for others with Ozarks Food Harvest. This act of generosity can make a profound difference in the lives of families facing hunger in the upcoming year. Your gifts will make meals and warm memories possible for our neighbors who need them most.

Ozarks Food Harvest is one of the best charitable investments you can make to help our neighbors. That’s because your dollars are stretched so far due to their efficiencies of scale, expertise and operations. In fact, every dollar donated provides more than ten dollars’ worth of food to your neighbors. Even with the increased cost of food, Ozarks Food Harvest still spends 96 cents of every dollar donated on food distribution and programs. Bart also tells me that Ozarks Food Harvest provides 70 percent of the food distributed by their network of 270 faith-based and community charities. Your gifts truly make a difference to so many charities and the neighbors they serve. That’s why the O’Reilly family has invested in the efforts of Ozarks Food Harvest for more than two decades.

I invite you to take a look at some of the stories in this month’s newsletter detailing the great work The Food Bank does for its network of charities with food, funds and Mobile Food Pantry
distributions. These stories are a testament to the positive impact your support can bring to children, families and seniors in need.

The cover story provides an update on the outstanding efforts of Crosslines Springfield, one of Springfield’s largest community food pantries, and the great work they’re doing with grant funds from Ozarks Food Harvest. On page two, you can delve into how The Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry Program is helping students facing hunger at Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) in Springfield. Additionally, Bart’s Hope Note highlights Ozarks Food Harvest’s long history of 4-star Charity Navigator ratings, positioning them as one of the most effective charities in the nation.

As you read through these stories of hope, I’d like for you to think about how you can help give back to your community as we approach the end of the year. You can check with your employer to see if they offer a donation match to stretch your dollar further. Or, consider making a tax-free charitable gift from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA), also known as a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), that may you save you more in taxes than traditional charitable donations. Additionally, think about including Ozarks Food Harvest in your estate planning so your gift can provide hope for generations to come.

Thank you for your continued partnership in the fight against hunger, especially during these challenging times. Your generosity has been instrumental in The Food Bank’s mission to Transform Hunger into Hope, and I am profoundly thankful for your commitment. My family and I wish you and your loved ones a warm and joyful holiday season.