OK Harvest Foods*

OK Harvest Foods has been an active player on the civic scene in Clarksville since opening its doors in 1955.

“I can never remember us not contributing to the community,” said Herman Houston, company president. “The community has supported us over the years, and we want to help support the community.”

Just as the independent grocery store has grown from its small Main Street roots over the years, its community involvement has expanded beyond the city limits.

Beyond Clarksville, OK Harvest Foods supports schools, churches and charity groups in towns such as Lamar, Coal Hill, Hartman, Scranton and Oark.

The store’s 1-percent program donates cash from sales receipts to a variety of nonprofit groups in the Clarksville area. Shoppers choose the recipient, and OK Harvest Foods moves the money.

“I just signed 86 checks today,” said Houston, part of a leadership triumvirate at the grocery store that includes cousins Jimmy and Billy Dickerson.

The store’s 95 employees work more than 1,000 hours of volunteer time annually to lend a hand where needed. A sampling of organizations benefiting from the company’s good works includes the Forrester Davis Development Center, Johnson County Peach Festival, Johnson County Fair Board, Clarksville Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, Johnson County Quorum Court and Clarksville Education Foundation Board.

Area schools hold a special place in the company’s giving activities, whether it’s providing fruit to promote healthy eating, donating money for field trips or providing goods to support sports tournaments.