State approves tax credits for Ozarks Food Harvest

The organization already has received several out-of-state challenge grants, and about $1.3 million remains to be raised for the $4.1 million facility through its Compassion for Action campaign.

A new distribution center will allow the pantry to accept and store more food supplies and accommodate future growth. The organization expects food distribution levels to initially increase by 500,000 pounds per year because of the new facility; within five years of the expansion, distribution amounts could reach 8 million pounds of food annually.

The food bank has seen a 44 percent increase in food requests in the last four years.