Description
Ozarks Food Harvest is the Feeding America food bank for southwest Missouri, serving 270 hunger-relief organizations across 28 Ozark counties. The Food Bank currently provides more than 23 million meals annually. This is especially important as one in five children and one in seven adults face food insecurity in southwest Missouri.
Founded in 1983, the Food Bank accepts, processes, warehouses and distributes food and supplies to a network of food pantries, kitchens and shelters, in addition to direct-relief programs such as the Weekend Backpack Program, Mobile Food Pantry, After-School & Summer Food Programs, Senior Food Program and more.
In 2003, Ozarks Food Harvest established the first Backpack Program in Missouri. Since this time, the program has provided more than 3 million meals to prevent kids from going hungry over the weekends.
Ozarks Food Harvest works in partnership with the community to salvage good food and distribute it to member agencies who make it available to hungry people. Much of the food is provided by retailers and local food companies who donate items that may be deemed inadequate for sale, but is still safe to eat. Ozarks Food Harvest and its volunteers inspect every donation to ensure all food is safe and ready for distribution.
