Ozarks Food Harvest lands $125K Wal-Mart grant

Ozarks Food Harvest yesterday was awarded a $125,000 challenge grant from the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program.

The Springfield food bank has pledged to match the grant dollar-for-dollar with funding raised by 40 of its 250 member food pantries. With $250,000, Ozarks Food Harvest can provide roughly 1.5 million meals for southwest Missouri children, families and seniors, according to a news release.

With the funding, Ozarks Food Harvest will issue 10 $1,000 grants to food pantries serving at least 100 people, or feeding sites serving 500 meals per month; 14 $2,500 grants to food pantries serving at least 1,000 people, or feeding sites serving 2,500 meals per month; and 16 $5,000 grants to food pantries serving at least 2,500 people, or feeding sites serving 5,000 meals per month. Ozarks Food Harvest member agencies have until Aug. 27 to apply for the challenge grant, and from Sept.15-March 15, 2013, to raise the matching funds, the release said.

The Walmart Foundation State Giving Program has a history helping Ozarks Food Harvest with its mission. In late 2011, Community Foundation of the Ozarks and Ozarks Food Harvest teamed up to match a $125,000 challenge grant from the foundation, and in 2010, the food bank received a $100,000 grant from the foundation. The foundation also granted $176,000 for Ozarks Food Harvest to purchase a refrigerated semi-truck in June 2011, and with the first two Neighborhood Market openings, $1,000 gifts were given to the food bank, according to Ozarks Food Harvest spokeswoman Lindsey Neddenriep.

"Wal-Mart has a history of transforming hunger into hope, and we are grateful they are continuing that partnership this year to help our network secure more than 1 million meals for thousands of families struggling with hunger," Ozarks Food Harvest President and CEO Bart Brown said in the release.