What National Recognition Means for Operation Food Search
Celebrating Our Top-10 Ranking, the Community
that Made It Possible, and Our Roadmap for the Future
Operation Food Search is proud to be named in this year’s Food Bank News as the 10th largest independent food bank in the country. This ranking is a reflection of both the growing need for food assistance and the generosity of our supporters, who enable us to do this work.
According to Food Bank News, this is the third consecutive year of revenue growth for food banks nationally. Most of that revenue comes from donated food, reflecting the powerful flow of resources food banks share with their communities.
The growth is especially notable given the challenges of the past couple of years. In 2025, the USDA pulled back one billion dollars from food assistance programs. Food banks have had to adapt by increasing food rescue, partnering with local and state governments, and turning to individual donors for support.
To guide how we adapt and evolve to meet these challenges, we have developed a new strategic plan, which outlines our roadmap for innovative, sustainable solutions that advance long-term food security.
Each month, OFS serves more than 200,000 people through a network of over 600 partners across 24 counties in Missouri and Illinois. In fiscal year 2025 alone, we distributed more than $32 million worth of food—all with the help of dedicated pantries, schools, shelters, health care partners, and thousands of incredible volunteers.
As we continue to face changes to SNAP benefits, which will affect millions of people nationally, the need for food assistance will likely continue to be great. We could not meet this rising need without the steadfast generosity of our supporters. With your help, we are rescuing wholesome food and ensuring it gets onto the tables of individuals and families who need it.
We look forward to a future in which the need for food assistance is not rising, and food banks like ours do not need to continue to grow. But in the meantime, we are humbled by your belief in our work and in our shared vision of a future free from hunger.
