Holiday Food Harvest collects food and cash for area food banks

Each year the Ozarks Dynacom's family of radio stations partner with the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors to hold the area's largest food drive on the day before Thanksgiving. The Holiday Food Harvest helps stock local food banks with needed supplies during the Christmas season.

Members of the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors manned stations set up at area grocery stores including Harter House and Country Mart in Hollister, Rhodes Family Price Chopper, Country Mart and Sunfest in Branson, Country Mart in Forsyth, Harter House in Kimberling City, and King Food Saver and Walmart Super Center in Branson West. Realtors collected nonperishable food items as well as cash donations to be given to two area food pantries— Christian Action Ministries and Salvation Army.  

At Rhodes Family Price Chopper, Real Brokers' "The Real Titan Group" was represented by Windy Burt and Titan Lankford.

Burt has been participating in the Holiday Food Harvest for several years. This year she was collecting food for Christian Action Ministries. Burt enjoys being able to give back to the community, but her commitment to this project goes beyond that.

Said Burt, "To me, it means more than just giving back. It makes sure that our children don't go hungry and that the adults are able to have nice meals. Christian Action Ministries itself is an incredible organization that provides food to everyone in the area, and they do it in such an honorable way so that the people receiving the food feel good. It is really a beautiful thing. Your giving goes a long way."

Danielle Arzt, also with The Real Broker, participated in her second Holiday Food Harvest this year.

Arzt shared her thoughts, saying, "Doing this, to me, means that it gives people hope, knowing that they can have food on the table for their families and enjoy being able to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones. It's really about the community coming together and helping one another out."

While official amounts have not yet been released, reports are that several tons of food and thousands of dollars were collected.