Walmart Grant Helps 66 Agencies
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.
Agencies have come up with creative ways to meet the match and get their communities involved. The Cassville United Methodist Church food pantry is planning Tinsel Tea, a Christmas holiday fundraiser. Project 360 Youth Services is in the preliminary stages of planning a bowling tournament and the Korth Senior Center in El Dorado Springs will be raffling a donated mountain bike in order to raise their funds.
The St. Joseph Catholic pantry located in Billings aims to raise their funds by selling black walnuts, hosting a bake sale and planning a fundraiser with musical entertainment. Last year, this pantry’s community hosted a tractor pull that helped meet the match.
“Because of this generous donation, our hunger-relief partners will be able to obtain more nutrient-rich food for their clients,” said Bart Brown, president/CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest. “Because of this partnership, we are able to help even more people, and that is truly at the heart of everything we do at Ozarks Food Harvest.”