A food fight involving 20 schools in the Springfield Public Schools system, will mean relief for those experiencing hunger in the Ozarks.
The schools partnered with 13 organizations for the sixth annual competition to benefit Ozarks Food Harvest. When the “fight” was over, more than 19,000 pounds of food was collected along with a little more than $2500 for the food bank. Ozarks Food Harvest says that will provide 28,000 meals to people in need this holiday season.
Donations were sent to food pantries in Greene County, including food pantries at Kickapoo and Central High Schools.
“This annual competition gives students a chance to learn about how hunger affects one in six adults and one in four kids in the Ozarks, and, chances are, these kids know someone who is hungry or they are facing that challenge themselves,” said Denise Gibson, director of development and communication at Ozarks Food Harvest.
Since the Food Fight competition began in 2010, SPS students have collected nearly 126,000 pounds of food for Ozarks Food Harvest.