In the last year, Renea has become one of The Food Bank’s most dedicated volunteers, showing up every week to sort donated food for distribution to our hunger-relief network. She started because her son, Nolan – Ozarks Food Harvest’s very own janitor – suggested Renea give her extra time at The Food Bank now that she’s retired.
What do travel and volunteering have in common? Alex Brozowski from Expedia sums it up like this, “Travel lets us see how, at the end of the day, we all have the same basic needs.” And what need is more basic than food? During Expedia’s Month of Caring in September, employees made the connection by volunteering to pack food at Ozarks Food Harvest.
Ozarks Food Harvest volunteer Gary DeHaven spent his career working in bustling news stations across the country, so when he retired in southwest Missouri, he knew he wanted to find a way to give back to the community and keep busy.
Jerald and Stacy Koch make sure to fill their spare time with things they love to do. For Jerald, that’s bicycling and Corvette car shows. For Stacy, it’s walking and gardening. But the couple especially enjoys meaningful activities they can do together, like travelling – and now, volunteering at Ozarks Food Harvest.
Coletta Dudenhoeffer always felt like she wanted to be a part of something bigger. When she found out the devastating news that one in five kids in southwest Missouri are food insecure, she knew she needed to do something.
Special education teacher Libbey McDaniel has spent multiple days a week volunteering at Ozarks Food Harvest this summer.
As a teacher for 21 years, McDaniel has seen firsthand the need for food assistance as some of her students have received help through the Weekend Backpack Program. She wanted to find some way to give back and put her compassion into action outside of the classroom.