For the past few months, I have focused on one specific area of the Claude and Betty Harris Center for Hunger Relief, Northwest Arkansas’ new Food Bank warehouse which is under construction. I’ll return to that topic in June, hopefully with good news about the move and a wrap up of how it will serve us all for many, many years to come. In the meantime, let’s take a look at some other topics that need to be addressed.

Diana and I have lived in our current home for over 30 years. We’ve done lots of maintenance and some remodeling, but for the most part a lot of what we moved into the house all those years ago is still there. After spending a few days packing up my office here at the Food Bank in preparation for the move to the new Food Bank, all I can say is I hope we never move!

“One hungry person is one too many.” It’s worse if that hungry person is a child. By last count, Feeding America estimates there are approximately 18,000 young people about to enter summer vacation hungry in our four-county service area. With school out, the safety net of school lunch, breakfast in the classroom, snack pack programs and school pantries are not available. I often tell people there is no slow time of the year for hunger. It never takes a break. However, summer vacation time puts additional stress on families and our agency partners.

I remember as a child looking forward to summer vacation. Time off from school meant days of baseball or swimming with friends. Carefree days in the sun. But every one of those days ended with me going home to a nutritious home cooked meal. My mom always had enough for all of my friends who wanted to stay and have some of whatever she had fixed that day. Like I said, I looked forward to summer vacation. Hungry children do not have that luxury. In many cases they are afraid of how they will survive while school is out. Where will the food come from? You can help us stock our partner agencies for the increased summer need. Thank you for helping us prepare.

I often get asked the question, “what is your most pressing need?” I respond with “knowledge.” Knowledge and understanding by the community that there is a food insecurity problem. People are surprised that I don’t say more donations or more volunteers, but that I emphasize that I need more people to know why we do what we do. Recently I ran into an old friend who I had not seen for several years. I was sharing this with him and he suggested that we all have on blinders and until an issue touches us directly, we don’t necessarily pay attention. He’s right. But food insecurity does touch us all. Every one of us knows someone who struggles to put a meal on the table. We may not know that we know someone, but I promise you we know one of the 70,000 plus in the four-county service area that struggle. I encourage you to think of food insecurity not as some faceless being living somewhere else, but think of the food insecure neighbor as someone you see every day. I promise you, it will bring a new perspective to the way you consider our neighbors in need.

I want to close by saying once again how much I appreciate your support. The staff and board of the Food Bank could not do what we do without your help. Recently I attended the Feeding America National Conference. The biggest thing I learned was confirmation of what I already knew….Northwest Arkansans have a giant heart and together we will address food insecurity for many years to com

Because of you, someone will eat today.

K

The 2024 Game Show Battle was held on Thursday, April 25th in Bentonville. A huge thank you to our sponsors, participants, and guests who helped make this event a success! The event proceeds will help the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank provide more than 341,000 meals to neighbors in the four- county area that we serve.

Congratulations to Hormel Foods for taking home the title this year!

Christina works hard to provide for her family, and she’s grateful for the support of community food pantries during difficult times.

She and her family live in Bentonville, close to the Christ the King Lutheran Church. As an agency partner of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, the church’s Feast of Grace and Food Pantry offer help to anyone in need.

“I’ve been really grateful to have Christ the King help us with the food pantry,” Christina shared at a recent food distribution.

Today, she was picking up the homecooked meals the pantry offers weekly, but a while back, her family needed a once-a-month food box. “I know it’s been just one time, but I remember that week – it was just a little bit of relief for our family to get that assistance,” she said.

“When they helped us, I just remember feeling unburdened,” Christina said. “It’s just been nice to be able to find this place.”

The Feast of Grace and Food Pantry at Christ the King Lutheran Church is open on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at 406 W. Central Avenue in Bentonville. They can be contacted at 479-271-7117.

High rent prices are forcing families to make impossible choices – to keep a roof over their heads or food on the table.

Janet, the pantry leadership team coordinator at First Baptist Rogers, talked with a neighbor whose rent is going up in the next year – more than what they receive from Social Security.

“So many people, as you know, live one accident, one job loss, one anything away from being homeless, from not being able to provide, especially with the rents being so very high and going up,” Janet said.

“It’s just going to continue to be a bigger issue for people to provide food because you have to have someplace to stay, some sort of dwelling,” she added.

This is why the First Baptist Rogers Food Pantry uses a client-choice system to affirm visitors’ independence and dignity amid difficult circumstances.

At the pantry, visitors have the freedom to pick foods that fit their wants and needs across a variety of categories. Options include fresh produce, meat, masa, flour, sugar, along with hygiene items.

“People are given choices as they go through,” Janet said. “We have some fresh produce that we offer them and then we offer also a half gallon of milk and a dozen eggs if they would like. That’s something we’ve really tried to do, is to provide some really good nutrition.”

Pantry team members are there to support families through every step of their visit – from pushing carts to bagging groceries to loading vehicles.

As an agency partner of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, First Baptist Rogers distributes the food they receive to anyone in need. There are no income requirements or residency requirements. The pantry just asks that you visit once every 30 days.

First Baptist Rogers also hosts free community meals every Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“We are here to serve people without judgment and just to love them,” Janet said. “What we want to do is to be the hands and feet of Jesus.”

The First Baptist Rogers Food Pantry is open every Tuesday and Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. They are located at the Olive Street Campus at 626 Olive St. in Rogers and can be contacted at 479-636-3451.

First Baptist Rogers also hosts food distributions at the Family Church campus, 1950 Highway 412 E. in Siloam Springs. For upcoming distribution dates, please visit www.fbcrogers.org/assistance.