Food drive raises over $23,000 for local food pantries

White River Valley Electric Cooperative held its Power to Turn Hunger into Hope annual food drive recently.  WRVEC and the community raised $23,302.35 and collected over 9,880 pounds of food at food drives held at 15 locations. The amount collected will provide over 71,212 meals to families in need within WRVEC’s five-county service territory.

“Our food drive’s success is a direct reflection of the compassion and commitment of the communities we serve. Members from across the counties came together to donate food and financial support, and those proceeds will go right back to helping their neighbors,” said WRVEC Community Programs Coordinator Nathan Stearns.

The annual food drive is funded by community donations, employee payroll deductions and a donation from the White River Valley Electric Cooperative Trust. Proceeds will benefit Least of These, Heart of the Hills Food Pantry, Christian Action Ministries and the Ozark County Food Pantry. Since its formation in 2014, the Power to Turn Hunger into Hope food drive has provided over 780,923 meals to the residents of Ozark, Douglas, Stone, Christian, and Taney counties.

To learn more about Power to Turn Hunger into Hope, visit https://www.whiteriver.org/community/food-drive/ .