Our partner charities are the frontlines of hunger relief in the Ozarks. They consist of food pantries, senior centers, houses of worship, schools, meal sites, shelters and residential programs who serve our neighbors facing hunger directly. Run by generous and compassionate people, they’re the first faces folks see when they seek help – but they also operate on limited funds and are often led by volunteers, especially smaller organizations in rural towns. They have a lot to juggle to keep our neighbors fed, and most local charities can’t do it on their own.
If you, or someone you love, are looking for ways to make a difference for future generations, Ozarks Food Harvest offers planned giving opportunities. A planned gift allows you to extend your charitable giving beyond your lifetime and make a difference for families like Ricky and Natalie’s.
I am thankful for every gift we receive from our generous donors throughout the year. These gifts provide so much more than food – they also give hope to families facing difficult situations. Right now, with the lingering effects of the pandemic on our economy, year-end gifts are more important to hunger relief than ever.
For the 11th year in a row, Ozarks Food Harvest has earned the highest rating of 4 out of 4 possible stars from Charity Navigator, the world’s largest and most trusted nonprofit evaluator of charities. Our rating is especially meaningful this year because it means I can assure you that during this time of high inflation, increased costs and soaring demand for assistance, you’re contributing to one of the most effective hunger-relief charities in the nation.
Cali Pettijohn has a fascinating job. Since 2008, she’s been immersing students from other countries in the American experience and teaching them English. She works for Missouri State University’s English Language Institute, and her students recently volunteered with Ozarks Food Harvest.
Ozarks Food Harvest took several opportunities to invest in our community over the past fiscal year, which ran from July 2021 to June 2022. I want to take a moment to reflect on what we were able to accomplish with your partnership.
Hunger Action Month is one of the most exciting times of the year at Ozarks Food Harvest. Each September, we work together with local businesses and organizations and ask them to take action against hunger and support the Weekend Backpack Program.
Ozarks Food Harvest is partnering with Panera Bread for Empty Bowls 2017. The annual event, set for Sept. 29, raises awareness of hunger in southwest Missouri.
For a donation to OFH, event-goers receive soup, a baguette and art to take home. The creations, ranging from pottery to carved wood, are meant to serve as a reminder of the thousands of “empty bowls” found on dinner tables across the Ozarks each night.
It is an unfortunate fact that too many of our neighbors in southwest Missouri are food insecure, and often have to make hard choices when it comes to being able to have nutritious food.
A passion for helping others drove Amanda Kirkpatrick, a senior at Missouri State University, to major in elementary education.
However, it wasn’t until she volunteered at Ozarks Food Harvest that she realized the scope of what a teacher can do to help make a difference in the lives of students who are hungry.
