Check Out Hunger Campaign Starts Nov. 1
Ozarks Food Harvest and more than 60 local grocers launch the 28th annual tax-free donation drive at checkout.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Philanthropy
Live Poll
Would you add a donation to your grocery bill to help fight hunger?
Ozarks Food Harvest has partnered with more than 60 local grocers for the 28th annual Check Out Hunger campaign, running November 1 through December 31. Shoppers can add tax-free $1, $3, or $5 donations to their grocery bills at participating stores.
Why it matters
The holiday season is a difficult time for people facing hunger, and the cost of living remains high. The campaign turns routine grocery checkouts into a way for Missouri shoppers to help feed children, families, and seniors in the Ozarks.
Each $1 donated provides $5 worth of groceries, and last year's campaign raised nearly $60,000 and helped provide more than 177,000 meals. This year's campaign aims to provide 100,000 meals, and results for the current campaign have not yet been reported.
The players
Ozarks Food Harvest
A regional hunger-relief organization that reaches nearly 90,000 people each month and provides more than 23 million meals annually across a 28-county service area in southwest Missouri.
Apple Market
One of the participating local grocery chains taking part in the Check Out Hunger campaign at its stores.
Price Cutter
A Missouri-based grocery chain that is one of the participating retailers in the Check Out Hunger campaign.
The details
Customers have a cashier scan a donation barcode to add a tax-free gift of $1, $3, or $5 to their grocery bill, and donors receive a paper apple they can sign and display at the store. Check Out Hunger signs are displayed at checkout lanes at participating grocers including Apple Market, Country Mart, Harter House, King Cash Saver, Price Cutter, Ramey, King Food Saver, Rhodes Family Price Chopper, Town & Country Supermarket, and Woods Supermarket.
Timeline
November 1, 2026: Check Out Hunger campaign begins at participating grocers.
December 31, 2026: Check Out Hunger campaign ends.
Since 1998: The campaign has helped provide 3.8 million meals in the Ozarks.
Philanthropy Track Record
The 28th annual Check Out Hunger campaign continues a checkout-based giving model that Ozarks Food Harvest has run since 1998, which has helped provide 3.8 million meals in the Ozarks. Each year's totals, including last year's nearly $60,000 raised, serve as the benchmark for this year's goal of 100,000 meals.
Shoppers at participating grocers can add a $1, $3, or $5 tax-free donation to their bill at checkout through December 31. Because each dollar provides $5 worth of groceries, even a small add-on at the register can help feed a child, family, or senior in the Ozarks.
The takeaway
Small tax-free add-ons at checkout can stretch significantly further than their face value, since each dollar provides $5 in groceries. Shoppers who already visit a participating grocer during the holidays can add a donation without making a separate trip.
Further reading
Explore more Philanthropy coverage to see how local giving campaigns like this one fit into the broader charitable landscape.
More information
Find details about the Check Out Hunger campaign on the Ozarks Food Harvest website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Springfield News-Leader.
Live Poll
Would you add a donation to your grocery bill to help fight hunger?
