Welcome to June. If the first week is any indication it is going to be a long hot summer. Speaking from personal experience, when I get hot, I get cranky. Let’s assume that I’m not the only person affected in that manner. Now, let’s assume that the person getting cranky is food insecure. His or her problem is compounded exponentially. You and I cannot do anything about the heat. But we can do something about food insecurity.

Together with our partner food pantries, we are tirelessly working to have the necessary inventory to serve all those in need. If you have blessed us with a gift this year, please know you have my deepest appreciation. If you haven’t had a chance to yet, I encourage you to consider whatever amount you can afford. We will take those dollars and convert them into meals for those in need. There is lots of good information in this electronic newsletter this month. Please do me a favor; after you have finished reading, please forward to two, three, or four friends or family members who you think need to read what we are doing. Telling people about the problem is key to our future success. Thank you for advocating on our behalf.Stay hydrated and try your best to stay cool.

Until next month, know that because of you someone will eat today.

- Kent Eikenberry

The Arvest Foundation recently donated $50,000 to Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, a local nonprofit organization that helps reduce food insecurity by providing an affordable and credible food source to their partner agencies in the four Northwest Arkansas counties. During the outbreak of COVID-19, Northwest Arkansas Food Bank is continuing to serve the needs of those in the community who face food insecurity.

The organization is working closely with local and state officials, Feeding America, and the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance to make sure their response is fast, efficient, and effective. Northwest Arkansas Food Bank is also coordinating directly with schools to eliminate any duplication of services to ensure an efficient and collaborative response to any food insecurities across Northwest Arkansas.

“We are deeply appreciative of this generous donation. It is another example of how Arvest is working to make Northwest Arkansas a better place to live,” said Kent Eikenberry, president and CEO of Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. “We will use this to help feed our neighbors in need.”

“There are so many organizations doing wonderful work during these troubling times,” said Kent Williamson, market president of Arvest Bank in Springdale. “While Northwest Arkansas is very blessed, there are also many in our community who are wondering where their next meal will come from. The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank is a leader in providing food to those that need it. We are so thankful for the service that the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank offers to the public and we are thrilled to be able to help them carry out their mission.”

June 1 marked the date we welcomed back volunteers into the warehouse. We have added some extra measures to our volunteer program to make sure we keep everyone at a safe distance while volunteering and have added some extra guidelines as well. We would love to have YOU come out and help us, too! It is super easy to volunteer with us. To sign up to volunteer, please pre-register online on our Volunteers page!

Last month's record numbers are due to the incredible dedication to the team of Crystal Bridges and Tyson Foods! We are incredibly thankful to these two teams for stepping up in our time of need, and ensuring that all of the boxes we need were built and that our Pop-Up Pantry went smoothly.
We are thrilled to begin hosting volunteers again this month, and are excited to continue working with our partners. Thank you!

We hosted another successful pop-up pantry in Huntsville on Friday, May 29 thanks to the generous support of Ducommun. We were able to serve a total of 170 households with 546 members.

Every dollar you donate can provide up to 10 meals for those in need in the Northwest Arkansas region. Won’t you consider donating today? You can make a one-time donation by visiting our Donate page.

Our new teaching garden at our Bethel Heights locations is going great! We have already harvested several pounds of zucchini and squash that we have been able to distribute to clients at our mobile pantries. We love the fact that we can grow healthy options right here at our warehouse for those in need in the region. If you would like to help out in our garden, we have volunteer opportunities available.