Outreach Programs

Emergency Food Distribution:

Food assistance provided to area individuals who, due to financial hardship find themselves with no means of providing food for their family. Determined case-by-case.

USDA Food* :

Community Outreach is the food distribution point for Vernon County. Approximately 400 citizens come to this agency monthly to receive free USDA food. Income guidelines are provided by the state of Missouri to indicate eligibilty.

Seeds of Faith:

A community garden was established during the summer of 2014, harvesting approximately 10,000 lbs. of fresh produce. Contributing to this total were; The Community Garden, Gleanings (from large farms working with Seeds of Faith) and local farmers. The program has now developed and grown, collecting up to 15,000 lbs. of healthy produce during the summer months.

Soup Kitchen:

This new program is designed to help feed our homeless and struggling families in Vernon County. The homeless may eat at the kitchen and then receive a bag for dinner. Food stamps have been drastically cut so the kitchen is available to residents to help them spread their food stamps.The Kitchen is open 12:00 -1:00 Monday - Friday at 225 N. Cedar.

Back to School Fair:

In the fall, Community Outreach, West Central, area churches and businesses donate money or school supplies. Approximately 340 Vernon County students are supplied with a book bag filled with much needed supplies to get them started.

Back Packs of Love:

For some children, school breakfasts and lunches are their primary source of food. Backpacks of Love reaches out to children living in extreme poverty or neglect and provides a bag of food on the weekend to ensure each child is fed.

Food Baskets:

Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets distribution is coordinated by Community Outreach. This program is a cooperative effort between our agency, The Salvation Army, Nevada High School, Vernon County Ambulance, numerous churches and individuals.

Mobile Food Pantry:

The Ozarks Food Harvest Mobile Food Pantry coordinates with Community Outreach to bring food and supplies directly to families in need in Vernon County.


Family Assistance:

Personal information to help families and individuals make better choices with budgeting, grocery shopping and employment.

*USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

  1. mail:
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.