SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Edited News Release) – Ozarks Food Harvest provided 22 million meals from July 2019 to June 2020, marking another record year of food distribution for food-insecure children, families and seniors in southwest Missouri.
The 20 percent increase in distribution is the largest year-to-year increase in The Food Bank’s 37-year history.
The Food Bank contributes their distribution success to innovative strategies that became necessary due to the COVID19 pandemic. Ozarks Food Harvest implemented increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) outreach, drive-thru food pantries and additional Mobile Food Pantries. SNAP outreach contributed 1.2 million meals to Ozarks Food Harvest’s record-breaking distribution and helped bring more than $5.2 million in economic stimulus to southwest Missouri.
An additional 1.1 million meals—valued at $1.8 million—were distributed due to the increased need caused by COVID-19. More than 425,000 meals were distributed through Mobile Food Pantries to help more than 25,000 furloughed workers and others struggling during the pandemic.
“COVID-19 has taken a tremendous toll on our community and brought many of our family and friends face-to-face with the harsh realities of food insecurity for the first time,” said Dr. Meera Scarrow, OB/GYN at Mercy Hospital in Springfield and Ozarks Food Harvest’s board president. “The Food Bank will continue to do everything we can to make sure everyone in the Ozarks can put food on the table.”
Before The Food Bank temporarily suspended its volunteer program due to COVID-19, more than 3,000 volunteers spent more than 21,600 hours sorting and packing meals. Temporary workers and members of the Missouri National Guard worked more than 14,800 hours at Ozarks Food Harvest to ensure food distribution continued during the pandemic.
“The pandemic presented many challenges, but we quickly came up with solutions to provide food for people who lost their jobs, parents who needed help feeding their kids and anyone else who was struggling,” said Bart Brown, president/CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest. “Hundreds of donors stepped up to help us make that happen, and we’re so grateful for their contributions and commitment to our mission.”
Through 270 hunger-relief partners, The Food Bank reaches over 261,000 unduplicated children, families and seniors each year.
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