Operation Food Search Provides $17,000 in Funding to Partner Agencies

St. Louis, MO, March 19, 2021 --(PR.com)-- Operation Food Search (OFS), a non-profit hunger relief organization, recently presented its own grants to community partners for the first time in the agency’s 40-year history. The funds – which ranged from $500 to nearly $9,000 in three categories – were distributed to 14 OFS partners and totaled $17,150. Each grant request was reviewed in an anonymous process by a Community Food Partner Advisory Council that determined the recipients and their award amount.

Compliance Emergency grants were given to OFS’s community food partner sites in the event of an emergency requiring financial support that could not be obtained elsewhere. Recipients included Anointed Hands Food Pantry in Maplewood, Mo., Church of the Living God Food Pantry in O’Fallon, Ill., Mind of Christ in East St. Louis, Mo., and Wilhelmina Hardin Food Pantry in St. Louis, Mo.

Compliance Incentives grants were awarded to improve food site functions, as well as to enhance the site’s environment specifically relating to its pantry. Recipients included Community Interfaith Food Pantry in Belleville, Ill., Emmanuel SDA Food Pantry in St. Louis, Mo., Foster Adoption Support Team (F.A.S.T.) of Midwest Foster Care and Adoption Association in St. Charles, Mo., Hillsboro Food Pantry in Hillsboro, Mo., Our Lady of Guadalupe Food Pantry in St. Louis County, Mo., Jefferson County Rescue Mission Food Pantry in Pevely, Mo., St. Francis Borgia Food Pantry in Washington, Mo., and Salvation Army’s O’Fallon food pantry in O’Fallon, Mo.

Nutrition Education grants were presented to work with OFS’s nutrition education team and promote healthier food options that are high in nutritional value. Recipients included F.A.S.T. and the Salvation Army’s O’Fallon food pantry.

“The pandemic has created many unforeseen emergencies – ranging from refrigeration breakdown to inoperable vehicles – which have a direct impact on our community partners’ ability to distribute food,” said OFS Executive Director Kristen Wild. “This first-time grant of additional funding was designed to support our partners on the front lines as they continue to serve those experiencing food insecurity.”

Founded in 1981, Operation Food Search (OFS) is a hunger relief organization located at 1644 Lotsie Blvd. that provides free food, nutrition education and innovative programs proven to reduce food insecurity. With a strategic focus aimed at ending childhood hunger, OFS empowers families and increases access to healthy and affordable food. The agency provides food and services to nearly 200,000 individuals on a monthly basis – one-third of whom are children – through a network of 330 community partners in the city of St. Louis plus 27 Missouri and Illinois counties. For more information, call (314) 726-5355.