“If we don’t have safety, shelter and food, we can’t worry at all about the next thing."
– Toni Smith, executive director of Carthage Crosslines Ministry
Toni Smith is a hard worker with a master’s degree, two bachelor’s degrees, and a cosmetology license. She’s been the executive director at Carthage Crosslines Ministry for four years, organizing more client choice food options and an on-site shower for folks who don’t have those resources.
But Toni’s life was very different 13 years ago.
In 2012, Toni went through a difficult divorce that resulted in her experiencing homelessness. While not from the area, Toni ended up in the Ozarks after her car broke down in Springfield. She didn’t have the means to fix it, and by that time, she had developed a serious drug addiction to cope. She was stuck – in both location and circumstance.
“I was absolutely by myself,” Toni shared, “and because of my shame and guilt, I wouldn’t reach out to family or anything.”
Toni spent several months in Springfield not knowing where she would sleep or where her next meal was coming from, at one point finding shelter in an abandoned warehouse. Then, out of desperation on a bitterly cold winter day, she stole a car for shelter and transportation. She was eventually arrested in a nearby town.
While in jail, a recovery program connected Toni to Carthage Crisis Center, a long-term transitional housing center. The Crisis Center’s food and shelter, plus the kind people who believed in her, helped Toni get back to self-sufficiency.
“It’s just like Maslow’s hierarchy,” explained Toni. “If we don’t have safety, shelter and food, we can’t worry at all about the next thing. When you’ve assisted that need, you’re not worrying as much about being hungry. Then you can concern yourself with secondary and tertiary things.”
Fast forward several years later, and the executive director position opened up at Carthage Crosslines Ministry, one of The Food Bank’s partner pantries. Judy Benson, director of operations at Carthage Crisis Center, encouraged Toni to apply, to which Toni recalled saying, “’Judy, they’re not going to hire me! Look at my past!’” Judy kept encouraging her anyway.
It turns out Toni’s past is exactly what Crosslines’ Board was looking for. Toni has now been the executive director at Carthage Crosslines Ministry for four years, and her life experiences give her a personal perspective when it comes to serving neighbors. “When you’ve walked a mile in someone’s shoes,” she shared, “and I have – or literally no shoes at all – we welcome them when they come in [to the pantry]. They can access those resources with dignity.”
Like Toni said, people have to meet the basic need of food before they can thrive. Ozarks Food Harvest rescues, processes and distributes food to both Crosslines and Carthage Crisis Center to help people facing hunger in Jasper County access the meals they need.
“It’s such an amazing partnership,” said Toni. “When our cooler went down, Ozarks Food Harvest gave us a grant right away to keep us able to take care of our neighbors. We get a few things from other places, but Ozarks Food Harvest is our primary source of food. In 2023, we received and gave away 400,000 pounds of food. That’s a huge number – and that’s through your network, your partnerships, your boots on the ground also to make sure retail partners are continuing their partnerships.”
This is what Transforming Hunger into Hope is all about – ensuring food is one less worry standing in people’s way. The Food Bank is committed to helping our network meet the need, but we need your support as the demand for food assistance has reached record-high levels. Your donation could be the helping hand someone needs today so they can pass on the kindness tomorrow, just like Toni has.
Make your donation today at ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate.
Temperatures were below freezing at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (SEAS) Catholic Church’s monthly food distribution in January, and yet 40 volunteers still showed up to serve their neighbors facing hunger.
More than 400 people drove away from the event with food to last the month. Days like those are hard work for the entirely volunteerrun distribution team, but volunteers say it’s worth it to help their neighbors facing hunger. “Especially seeing the veterans line up,” explained volunteer Kassi, “Being able to serve those that have served our country, seeing families with children come through – that’s definitely motivation to come out on the hot and cold days.”
Four-hundred people is a common number for SEAS’s food distributions. The operation consists of careful planning, managing partnerships with Ozarks Food Harvest and a local grocery store, and coordination of 30 to 40 church and
community volunteers every month – and every step is handled by dedicated volunteers.
Tom Ryan has taken on the task of communicating with Ozarks Food Harvest and determining how much food the SEAS pantry will need to feed their community each month. Yes, he does it for free. And yes, it’s basically a part-time job. But Tom does it happily because he’s passionate about helping his neighbors.
“There are so many unmet needs in our community, but we all need something to eat,” Tom shared.
“From the young to the old, returning veterans that have served our country, we see it all through these lines that come through our church’s distribution every month. Continuing to support this program means supporting healthy food going out to those who need it.”
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month. Ozarks Food Harvest will be recognizing our amazing
volunteers, but we can’t forget about the partner faith-based and community charities in our network that rely on volunteers to ensure our neighbors have access to food when times are tough.
Like the SEAS pantry, many of our partner charities rely mostly or entirely on volunteers to operate, and volunteers are crucial at Ozarks Food Harvest as well. At The Food Bank, volunteers help us process more than 5 million pounds of food annually. Thank you so much to everyone who gives their time to help end hunger in the Ozarks.
Get involved today at ozarksfoodharvest.org/ volunteer, or visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/needhelp to help out at one of our partner charities.
Imagine a semi-truck filled with meat, fruits, vegetables, canned goods and bread. Now, instead of that perfectly usable food filling your pantry, picture it sitting in a landfill. It’s hard to fathom, especially as 1 in 5 children and 1 in 6 adults in southwest Missouri experience food insecurity. With so much edible food being thrown away, no one should have to wonder where their next meal will come from.
The solution is food rescue. Four hundred ninety-six truckloads is how much food Ozarks Food Harvest diverted from local landfills last fiscal year - the equivalent of 12 million meals. Seven million of those meals came through our
Retail Pick-Up Program alone.The Retail Pick-Up Program is The Food Bank’s largest food rescue initiative, coordinating with local grocers to pick up food items that don’t meet standards for retail sales but are still perfectly good to eat.
Volunteers check donated items for food safety standards before they’re distributed to our network, and food that has gone bad is sent to local pig farmers to feed their livestock.
Ozarks Food Harvest also partners with local farms and gardens to rescue fresh produce that would otherwise be discarded. Based on harvest and demand, growers sometimes end up with more fruits and vegetables than they
can use or sell. Our Full Circle Gardens Glean Team volunteers harvest the excess crop, and Food Bank staff deliver it directly to our partner charities while the produce is fresh from the source.
We are invested in food rescue because it goes hand-in-hand with hunger relief. There is enough food for everyone when we work together to reduce food waste. Thanks to compassionate donors, growers and volunteers, we’re making a difference for both the environment and families facing hunger.
Volunteers like Stacy and Jerald help The Food Bank stretch your donation even farther.
HOW VOLUNTEERS HELP MULTIPLY EVERY DOLLAR YOU DONATE
One of the biggest reasons Ozarks Food Harvest can take your $1 donation and turn it into $10 worth of groceries is volunteers.
Without volunteers, The Food Bank would need to hire 14 full-time employees to ensure food was sorted and packed on time to match the incredible demand they’re experiencing from the community. Volunteers help redirect nearly $1 million in labor a year towards providing more meals for children, families and seniors facing hunger.
Bart tells me that’s just one small piece of what the 3,700 volunteers that visit The Food Bank each year do for our southwest Missouri community. Volunteers are also key to Ozarks Food Harvest’s mission to Transform Hunger into Hope because they help ensure food moves smoothly through The Food Bank and raise awareness about hunger through their advocacy.
From a distribution perspective, each volunteer helps provide more than 300 meals during a single sort-and-pack session in The Food Bank’s warehouse. They also harvest produce with Ozarks Food Harvest’s Full Circle Gardens to ensure families have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Many even take the next step by giving out food at local pantries and Mobile Food Pantries that they helped sort!
The Food Bank treats each volunteer experience with respect and care. They host three-hour sessions with a break and ensure every volunteer knows exactly where they need to be, what they’re doing, and how many meals they’re helping give to their community. This is important because each time a volunteer tells a
friend about their positive experience with The Food Bank, wears an Ozarks Food Harvest T-shirt or posts a photo on social media, they’re helping shine a spotlight on hunger.
Stacy Koch, a longtime volunteer with her husband at Ozarks Food Harvest, explains what it means to give back to our neighbors facing hunger. “When you’re part of the community, it’s nice to help give to that community,” Stacy said. “We’ve been blessed, but know if we had issues where we needed some help, I would want people to help me. This is just something small we can do once a month on a Saturday.”
I’d like to personally thank all of Ozarks Food Harvest’s volunteers for their commitment to helping end hunger in the Ozarks. Your gift of time is invaluable, and truly appreciate you.
If you’ve yet to volunteer with The Food Bank, I encourage you to apply and schedule a session online at ozarksfoodharvest.org/volunteer or scan the QR code below. Just one three-hour volunteer session can help a family put dinner on the table tonight.
With your help, Arvest Bank hopes to provide more than 1 million meals for hunger-relief organizations in their service area. Make a difference by donating through the Arvest Go mobile app, online at arvest.com/millionmeals and in person at any Arvest branch location. Since 2011, this campaign has helped The Food Bank provide more than 450,000 meals for our neighbors facing hunger. April 1 - May 31
STAMP OUT HUNGER
May 10
The 33rd annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger food drive is next month. Participate by filling a bag with nonperishable foods and leaving it by your mailbox on Saturday, May 10 before your mail carrier arrives. For details or to give online, visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/events.
TASTE OF SOMO
June 21
Taste of Somo, presented by Downtown Springfield Association, is your chance to sample and vote on southwest Missouri’s best cuisine while helping us end hunger for local families. Enjoy food and drink samples, live music and more in Downtown Springfield, MO. A portion of proceeds will benefit Ozarks Food Harvest. This event has helped provide more than 34,000 meals since 2021. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org/events.
LUCAS OIL SPEEDWAY FOOD DRIVE
June 21
Join forces with Lucas Oil Speedway and Ozarks Food Harvest to help end hunger in the Ozarks! The evening will feature dirt track racing for the whole family to enjoy. Bring four nonperishable food items and get FREE admission to the races. Donations will support families facing hunger in our service area. Learn more at ozarksfoodharvest.org/events.
had the opportunity this month to chat with Jim Admire about his time on Ozarks Food Harvest’s Board of Directors. Jim retired from our Board in 2024 at the same time he retired from Kraft Heinz as plant operation manager, but his dedication to our mission hasn’t ended. He continues to volunteer and advocate for The Food Bank. Thank you, Jim, for your service to our community!
What’s your connection to southwest Missouri?
I grew up on a family farm up around Conway, Missouri and went to school at Mizzou. After I graduated, I went to work for Kraft Foods in Springfield. Then, migrated to many different states and locations. transferred back to Springfield as my mother started to age and I started a family.
How was being on the Board of Directors meaningful to you?
Very meaningful. Being a food manufacturer, we had some opportunities to provide donations. For me, it was seeing the magnitude – the full circle, if you would – of us being able to help the community here.
What did you learn from your time on the Board?
There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes. I didn’t realize the magnitude, that we served 28 counties in Missouri. That’s another draw for me. gained a better understanding of the criticality of not only corporate donors, but the smaller donations and volunteer force it takes to be successful. It’s very well-run and goes directly to our local communities, which makes me feel really good.
You’ve continued to volunteer with us since your time on the Board. Why do you give your time at Ozarks Food Harvest?
Volunteering is critical. I think we all have somebody in our life that’s impacted by food insecurity in one way or another. Plus, it’s fun. What really interests me is the Full Circle Gardens The staff are a lot of fun to work with and very knowledgeable. They make hard work a lot of fun. You learn new things, too.
Why should others support Ozarks Food Harvest’s mission to Transform Hunger into Hope?
I would encourage everybody to do what they can, because whether we realize it or not, we all have somebody in our lives that’s touched by food insecurity. Maybe your next-door neighbor, somebody you went to church with, or somebody you used to work with could have fallen on hard times. A contribution doesn’t have to be hundreds or thousands of dollars. It can be small donations or an estate donation. It doesn’t have to be money at all. It can be your time. There’s just so much good that comes out of Ozarks Food Harvest.
Bart Brown, President/CEO
This past November and December, more than 60 area grocery stores partnered with Ozarks Food Harvest for the 26th annual Check Out Hunger campaign. This year’s campaign raised more than $50,000 from customer donations to provide 150,000 meals for our neighbors facing hunger. Participating grocers included Apple Market, Country Mart, Harter House, King Cash Saver, King Food Saver, Price Cutter, Ramey, Rhodes Family Price Chopper, Town & Country Supermarket and Woods Supermarket. Thank you to the grocers and customers who supported hunger relief during the holiday season.
TRAILINER CORP. TRUCK RAISES FUNDS FOR NEIGHBORS FACING HUNGER
Trailiner Corp., with the help of Wrap-Aholic!, wrapped one of their trailers in Ozarks Food Harvest branding to raise funds for families facing hunger. Trailiner Corp. donated $150 for each of the 54 trips the trailer made in 2024, raising a total of $8,100! Thank you to Trailiner Corp. and Wrap-Aholic! for helping provide 50,850 meals since 2023!
FALL DRIVES AND CAMPAIGNS HELP PROVIDE 125,000 MEALS
Last fall, community partners raised more than 125,000 meals through food and fund drives and campaigns. Fundraising partners are crucial to The Food Bank. Special thanks to Affinity Wealth Partners, Blue Linx, Caliber Collision Centers, Georgia Mac's (J & D's Ventures LLC DBA), Grant Avenue Free Will Baptist Church, Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, Hy-Vee Stores, Kickapoo High School, Melian Properties LLC, MGU, Inc., DBA Meta-Games, MSU Office of Student Engagement, Ozark Lakes Region Porsche Club of America, Ozarks Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, Ridewell Suspensions, Springfield-Greene County Park Board, Springfield Hospitality Club, Springfield Public Schools – AgAcademy, and T-Mobile. If your business or organization is interested in hosting a fundraiser, visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/fooddrive to learn more.
MUSGRAVE DONATION WILL PROVIDE 30,000 MEALS
A gift of $10,000 from the Musgrave Foundation’s Jerry Redfern Program will allow Ozarks Food Harvest to purchase additional food items for neighbors facing hunger. This generous gift will help Ozarks Food Harvest continue to meet the increased need during uncertain times. Thank you to the Musgrave Foundation for its continued support and commitment to our neighbors in need.
The past few years have shown us just how unpredictable life can be. Families who never imagined they would need food assistance are now turning to The Food Bank for help. Prices rise, jobs change and circumstances shift—but hunger remains a reality for too many across the Ozarks. Recurring donations play a critical role in meeting the needs of our community.
That’s why we’re inviting you to become a Monthly Sustainer. When you sign up for monthly giving, you provide a steady, reliable source of support that allows The Food Bank flexibility to plan ahead so we’re always ready to meet the needs of our community. Predictable donations also help us buy in bulk, stretching your dollar further and keeping food costs down. Your ongoing generosity ensures that children, families and seniors can count on us for nourishing meals.
Setting up a monthly donation is an easy, one-time action that makes a lasting difference. When you join Harvest Circle – a dedicated community of monthly supporters – you save time and postage. It also allows you to spread your giving across each month if a larger onetime donation doesn’t fit your budget. You have the option to change or stop donations at any time.
Join our dedicated community of monthly donors today and help create stability in the movement to end hunger. In a world of uncertainty, your support will be something families can count on. Visit ozarksfoodharvest. org/donate to get started.
THE J.R. ALBERT FOUNDATION HELPS PROVIDE 90,000 MEALS
Ozarks Food Harvest recently received the second installment of a three-year pledge to fight hunger in southwest Missouri. This $30,000 gift will ensure neighbors facing hunger receive the food they need and deserve. The J.R. Albert Foundation is a private foundation established in 2007 in Kansas City, Missouri that supports organizations that create and protect local, healthy food systems in the Midwest. Their partnership since 2013 has helped provide hundreds of thousands of meals across the Ozarks. We are grateful for the J.R. Albert Foundation’s commitment to increasing food access in southwest Missouri.
CHICK-FIL-A GIFTS $25,000 FOR THE WEEKEND BACKPACK PROGRAM
A generous grant from Chick-fil-A, thanks to Feeding America, helped provide 17,000 weekend meals to elementary and middle school students facing hunger during the 2024-2025 school year. This gift comes at a time of increased need as families stretch their budgets to afford food. Thank you, Chick-fil-A, for your commitment to fighting childhood hunger in the Ozarks.
“Volunteers
– Sarah Byrd, volunteer program manager at Ozarks Food Harvest
Not to brag, but we have the best volunteers around. Since April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, we’re celebrating just how much our volunteers mean to us.
You can learn a lot about the impact of volunteers in Charlie’s Corner on page three, but to sum it up, the need for food assistance is at a record-high, and we could not meet the increased demand without your gifts of time.
For over a year, our hardworking neighbors have endured high costs of food and basic necessities with little relief. The generous volunteers who help sort donated food, pack
Weekend Backpacks and Senior Boxes harvest produce with Full Circle Gardens and more make it possible for The Food Bank to serve 70,000 people each month.
And that’s not all. Our volunteers also reduce food waste by sorting rescued food from the Retail Pick-Up Program, bring hope to children facing hunger by creating Hope Notes, and advocate for our mission through word of mouth and our Volunteer Ambassador program.
“Volunteers are absolutely integral to the work we do at Ozarks Food Harvest, and our volunteers take ownership of that fact. These volunteers
know we need them and they never let us down,” said Sarah Byrd, Ozarks Food Harvest’s volunteer program manager. Join us during Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 21 through 25, to celebrate our volunteers’ hard work and dedication. We’ll make sure volunteers during this week feel extra special with treats, prizes and more to show our gratitude. Sign up today at ozarksfoodharvest. org/volunteer. Thank you for helping us Transform Hunger into Hope!
Transforming Hunger into Hope comes full circle for the men at Ozark Correctional Center (OCC) in Fordland, where inmates find their own hope through giving back to others.
OCC is a minimum-level security state prison that incarcerates men for alcohol and drug rehabilitation. To help on their recovery journey, OCC offers activities that allow men to give back to society while learning useful skills. In particular, the Restorative Justice Garden has been transformative for both inmates and our neighbors facing hunger.
Ozarks Food Harvest garden outreach coordinator Jessica Allen shared, “This partnership really feels ‘full circle.’ These men are rehabilitating their lives by receiving seeds and plants [from Ozarks Food Harvest], turning them into healthy local food, and sharing that with
their community so others then live healthy, fulfilled lives, too. Not only are they healing themselves, but they’re using that passion to help heal others in turn.”
Last year, OCC inmates grew and donated more than 2,400 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to The Food Bank!
Jessica says that every time she picks up OCC’s harvest, the men are proud of what they’ve grown to help our neighbors in need. As inmate
Matthew shared, “How a garden changed me.
I’ve never in a million years thought I could enjoy working in a garden! Until I gave it a chance, I then realized how relaxing and therapeutic it was to just let go and play in the mud.”
Thank you so much to the men at OCC who are using new passions and skills to end hunger in the Ozarks.
At Ozarks Food Harvest, we believe that everyone deserves access to the food they need to thrive. Thanks to incredible community advocates like Vital Farms, we’re able to make that a reality. Vital Farms has been a dedicated supporter of our mission, with generous donations of funds, high-quality eggs and butter to help nourish families in need.
Since 2016, Vital Farms has donated nearly 9 million pounds of pasture-raised eggs and butter, valued at $15 million. This valuable source of protein and pantry staples were distributed to families at our Mobile Food Pantries and partner charities.
Because of Vital Farms’ generosity, local children can start their days with a full stomach and a hopeful heart. Vital Farms has sponsored kids in the Weekend Backpack Program and
provided funding for holiday meals. They’ve also supported Springfield Public Schools families at the Back-to-School Bash and hosted food and fund drives at Egg Central Station during Hunger Action Month.
We are deeply grateful to Vital Farms for their ongoing support and for standing with us in the movement to end hunger. Their dedication to sustainable farming and community care makes a lasting impact, and we are proud to have them as part of our community. Their commitment to ethical food production extends beyond their farms—it’s helping us make a real difference in the lives of local families.
Please join us in thanking Vital Farms for their compassion and incredible impact! Together, we’re building a healthier, stronger community—one meal at a time.
(417) 865-3411 ozarksfoodharvest.org
