SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Walmart and Sam’s Club will help Ozarks Food Harvest address hunger in the Ozarks this spring through the 11th annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign.
This year marks the eighth time the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program has awarded a pass-through grant to Ozarks Food Harvest to provide funding for its member pantries and programs.
Walmart’s gift of $125,000 in grants was divided among 66 member agencies selected by The Food Bank. Because of the power of this matching grant, the total impact will be $250,000. Agencies have until February to raise the matching funds.
The Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program supports organizations, like Ozarks Food Harvest, that create opportunities so people can live better, awarding grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the U.S.
This year, Walmart’s nationwide Fight Hunger. Spark Change. initiative provided 218 million meals to Feeding America food banks across the country. Ozarks Food Harvest was awarded $125,000 to fight hunger right here in the Ozarks.
I’m thrilled to share with you that Ozarks Food Harvest has hit a new distribution goal and has served more meals than ever before! In fiscal year 2014, The Food Bank distributed 16.3 million pounds of food, providing 13.6 million meals to our neighbors in need in southwest Missouri.
The number of meals served surpassed our strategic goal by over one million meals! This is all possible because of selfless donors, like you, who give your time, food or funds to support The Food Bank.
We know that each meal provided to a hungry child, unemployed adult or disabled senior means more to them than we will ever know. Behind each meal served, there is a story. And that’s what keeps us pushing to continually increase our distribution. We met Cathy at a recent Mobile Food Pantry distribution in rural Howell County where she was both a recipient and a volunteer. She shared with us that she is so grateful for the food.