Right now, 1 in 5 children in southwest Missouri experience food insecurity, and many of these kids rely on school meals as a major source of food. When school lets out for the weekend, many kids aren’t looking forward to a break – they’re worried about a weekend without food.

You can help end childhood hunger in southwest Missouri during Hunger Action Month – Ozarks Food Harvest’s annual advocacy campaign to raise awareness about hunger and inspire action. All proceeds from Hunger Action Month will support Ozarks Food Harvest’s Weekend Backpack Program, which provides children facing hunger with kid-friendly, nutritious meals and snacks to take home every weekend of the school year.

You can sponsor a child for the entire school year for just $30 a month, or $360 a year. Every gift makes an impact. Your gift will help fill backpacks with food that keeps kids nourished and ready to learn when Monday morning comes. Each bag includes kid-friendly foods like shelf-stable milk, cereal, mac & cheese, spaghetti rings, fruit & vegetable cups, beef sticks and more.

Eight-year-old Aubrey shared how the Weekend Backpack Program makes a difference for her. She said, “When I’m hungry, I feel depressed. Thank you to the people who help provide me food on the weekend. I feel ready to play after I get to bring home food for the weekends. My favorite part about the Weekend Backpack Program is the juice boxes.”

We can end hunger, when we all work together. To join the movement to end hunger in the Ozarks, make a gift today or visit hungeractionmonth.info to participate in even more Hunger Action Month events.

Hunger Action Month 2025

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