Transforming
Hunger Into Hope ™
We serve charities who end hunger in southwest Missouri
Watch Our StoryEvery $1 donated to Ozarks Food Harvest provides 2 Meals.
By rescuing, growing and obtaining food, The Food Bank distributes 2 million meals per month to children, families and seniors facing hunger.
News and Events
Map the Meal Gap study reveals increased food insecurity rates across southwest Missouri
October 1, 2026
As the cost of basic necessities remain high, more of our neighbors across southwest Missouri are experiencing food insecurity than in recent years. Feeding America’s...
How the Weekend Backpack Program makes a difference at Westport K-8 School
October 1, 2026
When we talked to Westport Assistant Principal Alex Ross about the impact of the Weekend Backpack Program at her school, she first referred to kids...
Help put a holiday turkey on every table
October 1, 2026
The holiday season is known for warm gatherings and comforting meals, but for thousands of our neighbors, the season brings worry. Colder temperatures mean higher...
SNAP administration shift will cost Missouri tens of millions of dollars annually
October 1, 2026
Starting in October 2026, Missouri will be responsible for paying 75% of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administration costs instead of 50%. Historically, the federal...
Our Programs
Weekend Backpack Program
Weekend Backpack Program
The Food Bank’s Weekend Backpack Program provides children facing hunger with a bag of nutritious, child-friendly food to take home every weekend of the school year when they might otherwise go without.
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After-School Food
The After-School Food Program
During the school year, Ozarks Food Harvest sponsors local after-school sites through federally funded programs that help provide nutritious meals to children when they’re not at school. Sponsored sites offer meals to children at a variety of community locations where kids are already gathering like Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA’s, churches and schools.
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Summer Food
The Summer Food Program
Children who rely on school meals during the school year are also at risk of hunger during the summer months. Ozarks Food Harvest sponsors local summer kids’ sites through federally funded programs that help provide nutritious meals to children when they’re not at school.
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Mobile Food Pantry
The Mobile Food Pantry Program
Ozarks Food Harvest’s Mobile Food Pantry program delivers groceries directly to towns where food assistance is scarce. Product is served off a truck to families and seniors facing hunger in just a couple hours. These distributions remove barriers to food assistance like limited storage at our partner charities and transportation issues.
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Senior Food
The Senior Food Program
Ozarks Food Harvest partners with senior centers, churches and food pantries to distribute more than 4,000 boxes of USDA food to income-eligible seniors every month. Senior Food Boxes are assembled by volunteers at our distribution center and delivered to partner charities who serve local seniors directly.
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SNAP
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Ozarks Food Harvest provides application assistance to individuals applying for SNAP benefits. Applying to SNAP can seem daunting and complicated, especially when people are already facing tough times. Our SNAP outreach coordinators remove this barrier so our neighbors can access the food they need.
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Retail Pick-Up Program
The Retail Pick-Up Program
The Retail Pick-Up Program rescues food from local retailers that does not meet standards for retail sales, but is still safe for consumption. This program diverts hundreds of truckloads of food from ending up in landfills and distributes it to our neighbors facing hunger.
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Full Circle Gardens
The Food Bank's Garden & Glean Team Program
Full Circle Gardens increases our community’s access to fresh produce by growing fruits and vegetables at our Food Bank Farm, gleaning excess crops from local farms, and receiving donations from backyard gardens and farmer’s markets. Full Circle Gardens also offers garden education opportunities to increase local food sources in our community.
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