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Phone: (417) 865-3411 O’Reilly Center for Hunger Relief Emergency Food Assistance Sites |
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What's New at the Food Bank? |
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Springfield Food Day Celebration National Food Day is in October. Join Ozarks Food Harvest at the Springfield Food Day Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Wilhoit Plaza parking lot in downtown Springfield. Enjoy the fall food festival celebrating local, sustainable & healthy food, complete with cooking demos, sampling, live music, kid-friendly activities & more! Admission is $2 or a nonperishable food item for The Food Bank. Learn more at fooddaycelebration.com. Watch the PSA. In honor of National Food Day on Monday, Oct. 24, visit your community food bank at 2810 N. Cedarbrook Ave. in Springfield. CEO Bart Brown will conduct a talk and tour beginning at 2:00 p.m. Call Lindsey for questions or to arrange for a group at (417) 865-3411. |
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Child Food Insecurity in Missouri Feeding America® and the ConAgra Foods Foundation released Child Food Insecurity in the United States revealing Missouri has the fifth highest rate of child food insecurity in nation at more than 23 percent—a 3.2 percent increase. Read the press release. |
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Check Out Hunger Thanks for 'Checking-out' Hunger in your local hometown grocer during this year’s Check Out Hunger! 60 stores in 40 communities participated. Thanks to the below participating Ozarks grocers, $27,950 was collected to feed those in need across 28 Ozarks counties. Learn more. See the Top Cashier!
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Musgrave Foundation Challenge Ozarks Food Harvest raised dollar-for-dollar matching funds to receive $15,000 in funding from the Musgrave Foundation before the March 31 deadline. The challenge grant will be used for food distribution and food purchases for Greene County and the immediate surrounding counties. Heartfelt thanks to all participating donors. |
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Summer Food Program How will at-risk students eat this summer when they cannot access their school’s free/reduced meal program? Ozarks Food Harvest is seeking additional Summer Food Program feeding sites to serve meals to children in need this summer. If your organization would like to learn more, call us at (417) 865-3411. See a listing of existing OFH Kids Cafe sites here. Read the media release |
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Pound for Pound Challenge 2011 Lose Weight. Feed Your Community. Simply sign up and pledge your weight loss goals at www.pfpchallenge.com. For every pound you pledge to lose, through May 31, the Pound for Pound Challenge will donate enough to provide one pound of food to Feeding America® and Ozarks Food Harvest. Pound for Pound coincides with Season 11 of The Biggest Loser, which premiered in January. Learn more. |
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Action Needed: Sign the letter opposing cuts to SNAP Please join Ozarks Food Harvest and its member network in opposition to budget proposals that would weaken the ability to feed vulnerable citizens. Make your elected officials aware of the importance of a strong food stamp program by signing the Community-based Organizational Letter opposing structural changes and budget cuts to SNAP. Advocate. |
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Corn Roast set for July 30 Please join Harvest on Wheels volunteers at the Greater Springfield Farmers’ Market on Saturday, July 30 for the 2nd annual Corn Roast for Ozarks Food Harvest! Corn is available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Battlefield Mall parking lot. Volunteers will be accepting monetary donations, fresh produce, nonperishable food items and paper supplies. To learn more, call Linda at (417) 890-1079. Photo courtesy of David Nehmer, The Food Channel. |
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Volunteer Community invited to appreciation picnic Members of Ozarks Food Harvest’s Volunteer Community are invited to join Food Bank staffers for an appreciation event on Friday, May 20 from noon to 2:00 p.m. at Nathanael Greene Pavilion, 2400 S. Scenic, Springfield. Volunteers are welcome to bring family and friends for an afternoon of games, prizes and a picnic lunch provided by OFH. RSVP to Jen at (417) 865-3411. |
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Food for Fines Thank You Springfield–Greene County Library District and patrons for collecting 8,357 lbs.—more than 4 tons of food—during the 2nd annual Food for Fines food drive! During the week-long drive, community members received a 50-cent credit on their library fine balance for each donated item of non-perishable food. To learn more about The Library, visit thelibrary.org. |
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First Night Springfield Food Drive First Night attendees donated nearly 1,500 lbs. of food! First Night Springfield hosted a food drive this year at four of the event sites, including a Can Sculpture exhibit at the Discovery Center. The “2011” display was designed and built by Jim Lohmeyer, Hood-Rich, Inc.; Ryan Faust, Jack Ball Architects; Billy Kimmons, BK Architects; the AIA; and The Way Faith Community. Thank you contributors and event attendees! Special thanks go to the Urban Districts Alliance and the Springfield Regional Arts Council for partnering with The Food Bank for First Night. |
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Miracle of Giving Last year, OFH partnered with the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks during the 15th annual Miracle of Giving blood drive. Donors had the opportunity to exchange their participation gift, giving the funding that would have been used for a t-shirt, to Ozarks Food Harvest. The Food Bank is so pleased that once again, nearly $5,000 was donated for food distribution across the Ozarks! Heartfelt thanks to CBCO and their donors who continue to give life to the community and now also help feed families in need during the winter season. |
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McDonald’s Cans for Coffee Thank you Ozarks! This year’s McDonald’s Cans for Coffee food drive collected 16,000 lbs. of food items for those in need! More than 50,000 lbs. has been collected through this food drive since 2008. Cans for Coffee encourages participants to donate a non-perishable food item in exchange for one free small McCafé® coffee or hot chocolate of their choice through Nov. 21. For the third consecutive year, Tyson Foods, Inc. also supported the drive by donating 32,000 pounds of chicken in an effort to fight hunger. Learn More. |
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HUNGERTHON™ 2010 Thank You Ozarks! With your help, $151,213 was collected at HUNGERTHON™ 2010 for The Food Bank’s Weekend Backpack Program™. The 12th annual radiothon with Alice@95.5 FM raised enough funding to provide just over 400 at-risk children with backpacks filled with nutritious child-friendly foods for them to take home over the weekends. HUNGERTHON gets added donations totaling record-breaking $151,213! |
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Harvest Soup Cook-off at the Greater Springfield Farmers’ Market Thank you to all Harvest On Wheels and Greater Springfield Farmers’ Market volunteers for hosting the inaugural soup cook-off for Ozarks Food Harvest! More than $1,500 and nearly 1,000 lbs. of produce, nonperishable food items, baked goods and soup was donated to OFH! Special thanks to the following participating restaurants and market vendors for their donations: Big Easy Grill, Bistro Market*, Farmers Gastropub, Frisco Crossing, Mille’s Café, Nakato and Nearly Famous Deli; Burton’s Farm, Flintrock Bison Ranch*, Jones Farm, Lakeside Gardens, Magpie’s Food Services, Raised Rite Farm and Sunshine Valley Farm. (*denotes winners). Learn more. |
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Walmart Foundation Associate Choice Program Ozarks Food Harvest received the most votes from Walmart and Sam’s Club associates across the state during the Walmart Foundation Associate Choice Program, earning The Food Bank a $100,000 grant. Ozarks Food Harvest was originally chosen as one of only five nonprofit finalists in the entire state for a chance to receive the award. Missouri Walmart and Sam’s Club associates had from mid-July through mid-August to cast an online vote for the charity they felt was most deserving of the grant award.Read the medea release. Learn more. |
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Hunger Action Month Thank you for participating in 30 Ways in 30 Days and taking action to fight hunger! Ozarks Food Harvest ranked 14th out of 200 food banks nationwide in the most pledges received. Learn more about Hunger Action Month at hungeractionmonth.org. |
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Plate Escapes by Bistro Catering Guests joined Ozarks Food Harvest for a culinary world tour as they were introduced to Bistro Catering, Springfield’s newest purveyor of fine foods, brought to you by Bistro Market by Price Cutter. In addition to the funds collected at the event, Bistro Catering is donating 5% to Ozarks Food Harvest for every catering event that was booked that night. Special thanks to Chef James Clary, all Price Cutter staff and to the generous volunteers and donors. View the invite. Read the media release. |
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Give Hope this Holiday Season Give the gift that warms the heart and fills the soul! Help provide $10 worth of food distribution for every dollar you donate. If you’re looking at year-end giving and wondering what nonprofit organization can give you the biggest impact for your gift, look no further. Those who qualify can also save more than 50% on donations made before Dec. 31. |
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Ozarks Food Harvest Food Drive at the Ozark Empire Fair Visit the Ozark Empire Fair on Sunday, August 8th after 3 p.m. and receive FREE parking at gates with food drive collections for Ozarks Food Harvest! Simply bring three nonperishable food items per car. Interested volunteers for this event should contact The Food Bank to sign up. View a map and more information. Read the press release. |
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Neighborhood Assistance Program Now there is an even more compelling reason to make a gift to The Food Bank’s Feeding Hope Initiatives. The Missouri Department of Economic Development recently approved Ozarks Food Harvest for $500,000 in Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits. Qualifying donors can receive tax credits of 50% of their donation to The Food Bank. |
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Hunger in America 2010 Hunger in America 2010 is the largest study of domestic hunger, providing comprehensive and statistically-valid data on our emergency food distribution system and the people Feeding America and Ozarks Food Harvest serves. See the dramatic local findings of the massive new report, and to learn how a partnership with the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program and the Community Foundation of the Ozarks and its affiliate community foundations is helping feed more people across the Ozarks. |
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Ozarks Harvesting Hope Plan now to plant extra! Become one of the gardeners joining the Ozarks Harvesting Hope service project - a part of the national Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign. Simply plant a little extra in your garden and deliver the produce to Ozarks Food Harvest so that it will reach those who need it most. Watch the PSA! |
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Missouri Community Service Commission state-wide food drive Visit feedingmissouri.org and contribute to the first-ever state-wide food drive in honor of service and emergency response personnel now through September 11. Support Ozarks Food Harvest in the 9-11 Day of Service and Remembrance effort by making a secure online donation through Network for Good.Listen to the PSA! |
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Springfield–Greene County Library patrons were able to exchange Food for Fines the last week of January 2010. Patrons received a 50-cent credit on their library fine balance for each donated item of non-perishable food. The Food Bank is thrilled to announce Food for Fines collected 6,261 lbs. of food for those in need—the largest food drive so far in 2010! We thank The Library and all community members who participated. You’re helping provide more than 5,000 meals to your neighbors in need. Visit thelibrary.org for more information. | |||
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Thank you Ozarks for collecting more than 80,000 lbs. of food through food drives held from October through December! The Food Bank is grateful for the Top Holiday 2009 Food Drives; however, Hunger isn’t a seasonal problem, but a problem that requires year-round solutions. To hold a Food Drive or to Volunteer to sort donated food in the New Year, please contact Jennifer Sickinger at (417) 865-3411 ext. 114. | |||
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Thank you to St. John's Clinic physicians and employees who raised funds and made personal donations totaling $40,000 for The Food Bank at the conclusion of the Clinic’s semiannual Force for Good campaign. St. John’s Hospital, home health and patient access departments also collected 10,249 pounds of food items for Ozarks Food Harvest, providing more than 8,100 meals to those in need. | |||
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The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks teamed up with Ozarks Food Harvest over the holiday season to offer blood donors the chance to help both local patients and local food pantries. The response was overwhelming—more than 80% of donors chose to forego the Miracle of Giving participation gift in order to donate to Ozarks Food Harvest. Thanks to CBCO and its donors, nearly $5,000 was raised for The Food Bank! Read more here. | |||
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More than 160,000 hungry Children, Families & Seniors across the Ozarks need your help! The Food Bank is asking you to CHECK OUT HUNGER™ in your community between Monday, November 16th and Thursday, December 31st. Simply add your $1 tax-free donation to your grocery bill at the following participating hometown grocers: Akin’s, Country Mart, Dillons, Harter House, Murfin’s Market, Price Cutter, Ramey, Smillie’s Market, Smitty’s, Summer Fresh Supermarket and Woods Supermarket. Click here for details. | |||
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Special thanks to the Community Foundation of the Ozarks for awarding $40,000 in matching funds to Ozarks Food Harvest. The Food Bank is happy to announce it met the challenge! Thank you to all those who so generously donated online or mailed a special donation for the Community Response Challenge Grant Fund. Please know your gifts were matched dollar for dollar. Thank you for your support. Click to learn more. | |||
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View the new Hunger in the Ozarks video. See how the lives of countless men, women, and children are being affected by hunger in the Ozarks. | |||
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In taking a proactive approach, The Food Bank developed three-year strategic Feeding Hope Initiatives to address the dramatic increase in need for food assistance in southwest Missouri. Taken together, these targeted Initiatives touch each of the hungry populations that turn to Ozarks Food Harvest’s network for help—Feeding Children, Feeding Families and Feeding Seniors. Learn how Ozarks Food Harvest is Taking the Initiative and how you can help here. | |||
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Ozarks Food Harvest has moved to a new food distribution facility! Click here for address information Click here for progress photos See news release: Next Era of Hunger Relief Begins for The Food Bank |
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McDonald’s of the Ozarks are giving customers a FREE Hot Chocolate or McCafé® coffee of their choice in exchange for a non-perishable food donation to The Food Bank! Visit any local McDonald’s restaurant November 2 through the 22nd to receive your tasty hot beverage and help feed your neighbors in need! Click here for more information. | |||
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1st Joe Nakato Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Ozarks Food Harvest’s Kids Café program! Compete in this 4 person scramble on Monday, October 19th to raise funds and awareness for the Kids Café, feeding more than 1,000 hungry Ozarks kids each night! Click here for details. |
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Earlier this year when President Obama addressed the state of the economy, he acknowledged that many Americans are struggling with hunger and are turning to food banks for help. But as those people reach out, he noted, food banks across the country are often unable to keep up with demand. Click here for a special message and for more information about a nationwide campaign to end hunger. | |||
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We encourage
you to voice your thoughts on hunger issues in the Ozarks. Please
submit an original essay between 200-500 words telling us about your
most memorable experience in either helping another person or how
you yourself have been helped. SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY HERE>> |
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An
affiliate of Feeding America © 2007 Ozarks Food Harvest |
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