Ozarks Food Harvest distributes record amount of food

Ozarks Food Harvest had a record-breaking fiscal year in food distribution.

For its fiscal year that ended June 30, the Springfield nonprofit distributed 22 million meals, marking a 20% increase year over year, according to a news release.

“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, a Mercy Hospital Springfield doctor and Ozarks Food Harvest’s board president, in the release. "The food bank will continue to do everything we can to make sure everyone in the Ozarks can put food on the table.”

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Ozarks Food Harvest has increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program outreach, implemented drive-thru food pantries and put additional mobile food pantries in place.

SNAP outreach generated 1.2 million meals, and an additional 1.1 million meals were distributed due to the increased need caused by the pandemic, according to the release.

The nonprofit also reported some 425,000 million meals were distributed to around 25,000 furloughed workers via mobile food pantries.

Ozarks Food Harvest ranked No. 10 on Springfield Business Journal's list this year of the area's largest nonprofits, with 65 employees. The nonprofit also reported a $33.6 million operating budget for the list published Feb. 3.

The nonprofit serves 28 counties in the Ozarks, according to the release.