Ozarks Food Harvest is expanding its meal distributions and hiring temporary workers to help feed families struggling to make ends meet.

Here’s more from the food bank:

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ozarks Food Harvest has committed to providing 1 million meals in 90 days to families who are struggling to make ends meet during this unpredictable time.

Thousands of individuals are trying to balance work, unemployment, helping high-risk relatives and staying home with children, making more people than ever in need of food assistance.

To meet this increased demand, Ozarks Food Harvest has purchased more food, started to distribute more food through additional Mobile Food Pantries and hired temporary workers.

Ozarks Food Harvest—the only food bank serving 28 counties in southwest Missouri—is continuing to provide safe, nutritious food to anyone who needs it.

The Food Bank partners with more than 270 hunger-relief organizations in the Ozarks, and the majority of these sites have adopted a drive-through or walk-up method to keep people and food safe.

The Food Bank has suspended volunteer sessions until further notice, but thanks to a grant from Missouri Foundation for Health, Ozarks Food Harvest has hired 30 temporary workers to sort and pack food.

These workers were hired after their previous employers temporarily closed due to COVID-19.

Bart Brown, president/CEO of Ozarks Food Harvest, is asking the community to support The Food Bank with a fund donation that will help purchase additional food, hire more truck drivers and buy necessary transportation equipment.

“The need is unprecedented, and we’re having dozens of trucks of food shipped in weekly, without regard to cost, to make sure no one goes hungry.” said Brown. “Your help means more than ever as every dollar donated will help provide $10 worth of groceries to people in need right now.”

To make a donation to The Food Bank’s COVID-19 Hope Fund, visit ozarksfoodharvest.org/donate, and select “COVID-19 Hope Fund” from the dropdown menu.