Give time, food or funds at ozarksfoodharvest.org 76 Transforming Hunger into Hope™ for more than 30 years

VOLUNTEER & FOOD DRIVE PROGRAMS SPRING 2016

Transform Hunger into Hope by collecting food or volunteering to help your neighbors in need. During the spring months, food and fund drives decline. Visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/fooddrive to help!

DONATE THROUGH APRIL FOR 27TH SCOUTING FOR FOOD

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LOU ANN CORNELISON SORTS FOOD AT OFH'S VOLUNTEER CENTER. THANKS TO RANDY BACON FOR TAKING THIS PHOTO AND SHARING LOU ANN'S STORY THROUGH THE 7 BILLION ONES PROJECT.

Volunteers play a crucial role in Ozarks Food Harvest’s mission to solve hunger in the Ozarks.

Every day volunteers visit The Food Bank ready to lend a hand with a community of people brought together by their passion to help others.

Food Bank staff celebrate the accomplishments of volunteers year-round,

but especially in April during National Volunteer Month — a time to honor and thank the volunteers who give their energy and talent to help feed their neighbors in need.

Dedicated volunteers give hundreds of hours of their time to sort and pack 80,000 pounds of food every week. This hard work allows Ozarks Food Harvest to provide 14 million meals annually to children, families and seniors who may not know where their next meal will come from.

“Making sure that people have enough to eat is something I have a passion for – and Ozarks Food Harvest is the strongest force that I know of out here,” shared Lou Ann Cornelison, a volunteer for nearly six years. “The outreach is to all ages, and helping 28 counties is exceptional. I really feel at home.”

Because of faithful volunteers, kids in the Ozarks will not have to go to bed hungry, families can feel hope instead of worry and seniors do not have to choose between paying the electric bill or buying medicine.

LAURA SIMS REACHED 1,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS IN FEBRUARY. SHE HAS VOLUNTEERED AT OFH

AND CRIMSON HOUSE FOR TWO YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS. SHE'S KNOWN AS THE QUEEN OF CARDBOARD BY STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.

FOOD BANK CELEBRATES VOLUNTEERS THIS MONTH

During Lent, Ozarks Food Harvest asked area churches and community partners to collect fish in cans or pouches for the second annual Fish Drive, a food drive focused on donations of high-protein fish.

The eight churches and organizations that participated collected a total of 929 pounds of food — providing 774 meals for children, families and seniors in the Ozarks. This exceeded last year’s total by 360 pounds.

“We’re excited about this year’s increase because fish gives those we serve protein-rich meals,” said Denise Gibson, Ozarks Food Harvest director of development and communication. “Protein is one of the most requested items, so this drive is a huge help to the community.”

To help increase protein options for Ozarks Food Harvest’s network of agencies, groups were asked to collect canned or pouched tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines or oysters.

Food Bank staff thought this type of drive would be a creative way for Lenten observers to put their faith into action and help feed their neighbors in need in the Ozarks.

If you didn’t have a chance to donate during the Fish Drive, head to Walmart stores on April 24. The Venues, a Springfield church, is collecting fish from shoppers for the second year. Last year, the church collected 1,470 pounds of food and $67. You can also drop off donations at The Food Bank.

FISH DRIVE REELS IN NEARLY 1,000 POUNDS

FISH COLLECTED DURING THE ANNUAL DRIVE.

Scouts across the Ozarks have been collecting food for the 27th annual Scouting for Food since mid-March. Those who are interested in supporting this drive have only a couple weeks left to make their donations at either the Boy Scouts office at 1616 S. Eastgate

Ave. or at Ozarks Food Harvest. During the Scouts' drive at Walmart on March 26, over 4,000 pounds of food and $442 were collected to provide 5,600 meals in just one day!

Help beat last year's total of 15,000 meals by donating today!

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Ruby AllenMarisa AndrewsJim BlackwellMargaret BlackwellDelys BodenhausenMax BodenhausenCharles BowenTrudy BowenAllison BushueGene CampbellKarla CarrollGale ClitheroJohn CooperEddie CurrierLinda CurrierPatricia DevineCecelia DickeyKris DreesenArlene EichlerEltjen FlikkemaJerri FlikkemaJustin FlowersJohn GentryJim GoethalsScott GoheenAnn GougeMatthew HaleyRobert HansonWil HardimanKirk HawkinsZachary HerbertPatti HudginsRay JacksonSibyl JamesHarvey Kaylor

Freeman KleierDonald LandonLinda LangeJustin LanghamGeorge LawrenceSusanne MartinDave McGeeJoe MeyerChandler MirabalMelvie MosierLinh NealCharlene NelsonJohn ParrishBrad RavenLester RhodesBeth RobertsonSydney RogersNikala RoseboroughRhonda RoseboroughDeborah RumpfTom RyanJudith SharpLaura SimsWilliam SinesHarley SnyderStefanie StonekingJustin ValdezLona WaitMelanie WebbVon WilliamsMatthew WilsonBeth WinshipLarry WoolfJerry Yoakum

INDIVIDUALS 25+ HOURS

3MAbacus CPAs, LLCAmeriprise Financial, Wendy JoplinAmeriprise Financial, Carolyn CrimAmeriprise Financial Services, John RehaniArvest BankAva High School National Honor SocietyCampbell UMC Faith for LifeCentral High School Key ClubCherokee Middle School National Honor SocietyChoe FamilyDatema HouseDrury UniversityElks LodgeFDICForsyth R-III FCCLAFrench'sGood Samaritan - Step Ahead ProgramGreene County Juvenile CourtGreene County Youth AcademyHamra EnterprisesHarmony HouseHartville High School National Honor SocietyHarvest on WheelsKing's Way UMCLogan-Rogersville High School FFAMarisol InternationalMercy Base ProgramMSU Beta Alpha PsiMSU Community Involvement & ServiceMSU Leaders in Community ServiceMSU TRIOParkview High School National Honor SocietyRepublic High School National Honor SocietySeymour High School National Honor Society & Peer LeadersStudent Nursing OrganizationSouthwest Missouri Women LawyersSpringfield SkepticsStrafford High School National Honor SocietyUniversity of South Dakota AWOL ProgramWesley UMC

GROUPS 30+ HOURS

Nov. 1, 2015-Feb. 29, 2016

FOOD DRIVES 250+ POUNDS

Springfield-Greene Co. Park Board, Turkey Trot — 7,140Field Elementary School — 2,778Parmele Law Firm — 2,671Golden Pond Apartments — 2,596La-Z-Boy — 1,774Walmart Neighborhood Market (S. Glenstone) — 1,743The Wooten Company — 1,478Jordan Valley Community Health Center — 1,083Grant Avenue Freewill Baptist Church — 1,029Drury Greek Socialization — 1,003Red Tree Church — 959Ridewell Suspensions — 830Drury University's Lambda Chi Alpha — 781Finnegan’s Wake — 620Eddies Headies, LLC — 612Greenwood Laboratory School — 612Crockett Chiropractic — 597Logan-Rogersville Elementary fourth graders — 556Jack Henry & Associates — 533Bare Essentials Boutiques — 528Cerner Corporation — 520Walmart Neighborhood Market (El Camino Alto) — 486Missouri State University Meyer Library — 466Greene County Commission — 447Greene County Circuit Clerk — 439Mattress Firm — 392Springfield Gymnastics & Aquatics Center — 386Holmes & Griffeth Financial Planners — 371Regions Bank — 328Margeorgeous Boutique — 314Springfield Symphony Orchestra — 311Republic High School - FCCLA — 300Walmart Supercenter (E. Independence) — 299Cox North Family Medicine Office — 294Sigma Alpha Sorority - MSU — 294Gold Mountain Communications — 291Walmart Neighborhood Market (E. Sunshine) — 275Edward Jones — 264MSU Student Affairs — 262Cline Dental — 255DO Outdoors — 250

GLEAN TEAM VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDOzarks Food Harvest’s Glean Team needs

volunteers to get their hands dirty planting seeds and harvesting produce during its third garden season, which began in March.

Last season, volunteers harvested nearly 23,000 pounds of fresh produce. In 2016, the program hopes to expand the harvest by another 5,000 pounds, or more.

Members of the community can make this growth possible by volunteering with Ozarks Food Harvest in local gardens to help provide healthy food to those in need.

“The Glean Team, part of our Full Circle Gardens program, is a step toward solving

food insecurity by connecting volunteers with food production and improving access to healthy, fresh produce across our agency network and in Springfield neighborhoods,” said Christy Claybaker, Ozarks Food Harvest community engagement coordinator.

Regular volunteer sessions are available to all ages five times a week and emergency glean sessions are scheduled as needed.

If you want to make friends, get exercise and vitamin D, join the Glean Team today by filling out the volunteer application at ozarksfoodharvest.org/volunteer and indicate gardening as a skill.

REGISTER TO VOLUNTEER IN THE GARDENS AT OZARKSFOODHARVEST.ORG/VOLUNTEER.

Nov. 21, 2015-March 21, 2016Nov. 1, 2015-Feb. 29, 2016