In 2004, Heart of the Ozarks was just a name whispered so
clearly and unmistakably into the spirit of its future founder. I had the privilege
of touring the organization's facilities with Phil Wilson, president of Heart
of the Ozarks. He was so kind to guide
me and narrate as we passed through each branch of HOTO. Today, Heart of the Ozarks is comprised of six
programs including the Hand Extended Food Pantry, Family First Services, Life A
New, Freedom Recovery Services, Pass It On, and D.E.R.T. Phil had never imagined that HOTO would encompass so many services, but each service has been formed out
of a need from the local community. It
has been "The local community caring for local people" since its
inception.
Our first stop was Family First, a program that supplies
families with the tools necessary to cook and eat healthy while being budget
conscious. The Family First facilities
are still in the works and will need additional funding or donations of
expertise to finish it up. Services
include nutrition, meal planning, and cooking classes, as well as budget minded
shopping exercises. Hannah Wilson,
director of Family First, works with dietitians and farmer's markets to provide
information to her clients about affordably living and eating healthy. The classes are compromised of about eight
students, and Family First is hoping to work with chefs and nutritionists to
provide cooking demonstrations as well as field trips to local farms. Classes teach how to use produce and healthy
ingredients in quick and easy recipes that can be purchased on food stamps or a
tight grocery budget. There is no other
program in the Ozarks that fulfills this need in the community and I applaud
Family First for cutting open the fresh fundamentals of cost-effective cooking.
Our second stop was Pass It On, a program that provides a
Christmas shopping experience for children and their parents to pick out a gift
for one another. A temporary Christmas
shop is set up for families to come browse through thousands of gifts to find
the perfect present for their loved one.
Although this is a one day event, the preparations for next year are begun
as soon as the previous year's event is over.
Volunteers go through donations, browse thrift stores, and conquer Black
Friday sales, in which teams are sent to
various businesses with specific gift items in mind. As items come in, they are separated into
categories based on age and gender and then pulled together to create beautiful
themed baskets. A
dinner, auction, and dance is held each year to raise the funds
necessary to put more than 1700 gifts in the hands of those that would otherwise
have nothing to give. This year, Pass It
On, will be on Saturday, December 8th, where volunteers get to share in the joy
of giving by filling cups with hot chocolate, wrapping up presents, and
witnessing children and parents beam with delight as they too are given the
opportunity to give.
The Disaster Emergency Response Team, D.E.R.T., was next on
the tour. D.E.R.T is a team of local
volunteers, developed to work with first responders in a crisis situation. A number of members on the D.E.R.T team are
qualified medical professionals or have received training from state agencies
and know just what to do if a disaster strikes in the community. The team has responded to several emergencies
over the years, including the catastrophic EF5 tornado that hit Joplin, Mo. in
2011 and a January fire at a local homeless shelter affecting over 150
residents. The goal of the Disaster
Emergency Response Team is to be ready and prepared to be the first deployed if
tragedy stands and knocks at our neighbors doorsteps.
The final stretch of our tour was Life A New and Freedom
Recovery Services. These two
life-changing programs are dedicated to helping people overcome addictions. Over 150 people gather each week for a free
meal and group counseling sessions.
Those being counseled break into groups of eight, with one facilitator,
and deal with life-controlling issues including alcohol and drug abuse. Many of the facilitators are recovered
addicts themselves, having walked in the same shoes. They return the favor of
support and encouragement, by being an example of hope and triumph. Those that need one-on-one counseling to
break free from a controlling dependence are recommended to Freedom Recovery
Services, where state-certified counselors spend time individually helping them
achieve true freedom.
I was amazed at the scale and expansiveness of Heart of the
Ozarks, an organization run almost entirely on a volunteer basis, including
each program director and the president himself. What amazed me even more was
that Heart of the Ozarks is truly ran by the heart. As I sat in the waiting room at the offices, I
overheard two ladies in a conversation
while working away. The chat was about
how they could make a difference in others lives and that they wanted to be
ready and willing to be a blessing when called upon. As people came and went, every single one of
them boasted a smile or a joyful tune.
When Phil hurried in to meet me for the tour, he was covered in dust and
yellow paint splotches. He apologized
for being a few minutes late and explained he had taken a side job painting the
inside of a house just down the street.
After the tour, I started to understand why the name, Heart of the
Ozarks, was spoken so clearly. The hard
work, the long hours, the sweat, blood, and tears that have poured into Heart
of the Ozarks, is pouring directly into and out from God's own immeasurable
heart.
If you would like to get involved at Heart of the Ozarks,
you can make a donation securely at www.hoto.org or you can volunteer your time
or services by contacting them through their website or by calling
417-501-HOTO. They also offer a
fantastic partnership program for local businesses who would like to contribute
to making a difference in the Ozarks. Show your support of HOTO at their facebook page!
