Those of you who know me well will know how difficult it is for me to write this. Simply stated, I don’t like drawing attention to myself. However, since it was done with the Food Bank mission in mind, I encourage you to pick up a copy of October’s Celebrate Magazine. I believe you will recognize the guy on the cover, even if you don’t recognize my friend, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, the CEO of Feeding America. A couple of months ago, Wylie Elliott approached me with the idea of featuring our fight against food insecurity in their magazine. I responded that our fight here in Northwest Arkansas is just one of the struggles across the nation and suggested we include Feeding America. The photos and the article do a wonderful job of showing the collaboration between our two organizations and the support of the business community not only here, but beyond.

Hunger action month is over. I haven’t worn orange yet this month, but that doesn’t mean I won’t. I pledge to take advantage of every opportunity to bring awareness to the problem of food insecurity. If that means wearing an orange shirt, or an orange tie, or an orange cap, I will. Last week I was interviewed on the KNWA morning show while at the Walmart NWA Championship presented by P & G. We received a generous donation from the tournament but, as I told Perry, the exposure the Food Bank receives from being supported by events such as the tournament helps bring the problem to the forefront of the public.

“I had no idea your building was going to be that big. It’s huge!”

If I heard it once recently, I’ve heard it a hundred times. And each time I hear it I give the same answer. “It’s not my building, it is the community’s. Plus, there is a reason we built it so large.” While going through the design phase, we determined that it would not cost that much more to build a facility that will take us through projected population growth to at least 1.5 million people. That sounds like a big number, but at a growth rate of 30+ per day it will be here before we know it. Several hundred people have stepped forward and donated to the capital campaign, thereby stating that a new building will be one of the tools to fight food insecurity. Not just today, but for years to come. I may not be around to see it, but whoever follows me will have a facility that will serve the needs of all future Northwest Arkansans.

It costs a lot of money to do what we do. We are projecting to spend over $3 million this year on food alone. As we enter into the fourth quarter of the year, I ask you to be mindful of the struggles the working poor are having. Is there money to pay rent, pay the utilities, feed and clothe the family? Is there money to cover prescription medicine if needed? Are my SNAP benefits going away? You have helped the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank answer all these questions by providing us the support to put food on the table of those who need it. You help turn a look of despair into a look of hope. We cannot do it without your help. So, as this year comes to a close, I encourage you to help someone you don’t know feed their family by a gift to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. Thank you in advance.

Because of you, someone will eat today

K

The Walmart Northwest Arkansas Championship presented by P&G has been such a great partner to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank for the last 17 years. We are thankful for their generous monetary donation again this year, which was earmarked for our Food For Today/Hope for Tomorrow capital campaign, as well as Tyson for their donation of 40,000 pounds of protein that will go to help our neighbors who are food insecure in this region.

G.R.U.B. (God Relies Upon Brotherhood) Food Pantry is a ministry of First Christian Church in Rogers. As an agency partner of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, the food pantry helps anyone in need with once-a-month food support.

Jessica, a G.R.U.B. team member, sees families find stability during their visits to the pantry.

“You really get to know them and get to see families grow,” she said. “Somebody will say, ‘I got a job, and I’m not going to be coming anymore. Thank you so much for your help.’ It’s just a safety net and a backup.”

To receive assistance, the only qualification is that you must live in Arkansas. The pantry distributes pre-packed bags with a variety of foods such as beans, vegetables, rice, pasta, pancake mix, peanut butter and frozen meat.

The number of bags and the amount of frozen meat you receive depends on your household size. Along with these items, the pantry has pet food and hygiene products including child and adult diapers.

They also distribute USDA commodities (for this program, you can only visit one location a month and you must meet qualifications based on income and household size).

“We’re just a service to help them live a better and more fulfilling life without the stress of food insecurity,” Jessica said.

G.R.U.B. Food Pantry is open on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 905 S.13th Street in Rogers. They can be contacted at 479-636-2230.

Click-and-collect ordering has arrived to the charitable food experience

Springdale, AR. September 18, 2023 – Ordering groceries from select Northwest Arkansas Food Bank agency partners will become easier.

To provide more meals to our neighbors, a few of the agency partners of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank will be using OrderAhead, a convenient click-and-collect online grocery ordering system powered by Feeding America®, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization.

Here’s how it will work: neighbors will be able to access the platform from a smartphone or computer to place orders for groceries from select agency partners, then pick up their orders like they would a pickup order at a local grocery store.

“We are all about removing barriers and connecting more people facing hunger to nutritious food. Rolling out a new platform like OrderAhead will help us fulfill our mission and makes life a little more convenient for our neighbors,” said Julie Damer, Director of Marketing at the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. “Right now, we are testing it with a couple of agency partners and are hoping to get it up and running by the end of November with at least 3-4 agencies. "

There are more than 70,000 food insecure in the Northwest Arkansas region which includes Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties.

OrderAhead was created by Feeding America, a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks and 60,000 partner food pantries and meal programs, to expand access to charitable food through a discreet system that reduces the social barriers encountered by our neighbors facing food insecurity. This exciting technology will allow food banks to serve more people facing food insecurity who might be prevented from seeking help by transportation, stigma and time.

Since its inception in October 2020, the OrderAhead online platform has served more than 41,000 households, distributed 4.5 million pounds of food and processed more than 140,000 orders across the country.

OrderAhead is made possible with support from the Walmart Foundation, which helped fund the program’s infrastructure through a multi-year investment in OrderAhead technology. This new grant will support 10 food banks, including the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, and expand the platform for up to 50 partner agencies, boosting its use by 25 percent. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation provide donations of both food and funds to the Feeding America network and the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.

More information can be found at: https://www.orderahead.org/

About Philanthropy at Walmart-Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By focusing where the business has unique strengths, Walmart.org works to tackle key social and environmental issues and collaborate with others to spark long- lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 20 countries, employs more than 2 million associates and does business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, advance equity, address hunger, build inclusive economic opportunity for people in supply chains, protect and restore nature, reduce waste and emissions, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit www.walmart.org or connect on Twitter @Walmartorg.

About Feeding America-Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. As a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 agency partners, including food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.2 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.

About Northwest Arkansas Food Bank -Northwest Arkansas Food Bank (a 501c3 organization) was established in 1988 by a group of concerned citizens who saw the need for hunger assistance in Benton, Washington, Madison and Carroll counties. In 2022 the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank distributed over 13.8 million pounds of food and provided over 11.1 million meals. Together with more than 110 partner agencies, we are able to reach out to those in need; providing nutritious food to children, the working poor and senior citizens. The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank is an affiliate of Feeding America and a founding member of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance.

Media Contact: Northwest Arkansas Food Bank – Julie Damer – Director of Marketing & Communications – julie.damer@nwafoodbank.org

Danielle and Brittany stand in the main meeting room of Positive Energy Affecting Recovering LIVES.

Small steps towards support and healing can change your life. Danielle and Brittany’s journeys are testaments to this.

Positive Energy Affecting Recovering LIVES (P.E.A.R.L.), provides peer support and resources to help you on your recovery journey.

After living as a resident at P.E.A.R.L. for 15 months, Brittany started working for the organization as their house manager. She now serves as the transitional living coordinator over both housing programs for men and women, which lasts anywhere from six months to two years.

During her time as a resident, Brittany used P.E.A.R.L.’s food pantry, which is an agency partner of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. She has seen how the pantry helps clients in their recovery journey.

“When we get residents from jail, they have nothing,” Brittany said. “... I mean people are in here every day ... to get food. It’s just good to be able to help.”

Danielle, a former client, got connected to P.E.A.R.L. through Drug Court. When people walk in the door looking for help, she described how many “come in literally with the clothes on their back.”

“Last week, I watched Brittany take a guy from jail ... she was able to give him food that he otherwise wouldn’t have been able to have because he just got out of jail,” Danielle said. “...They find themselves in situations they wouldn’t normally be in and it really helps get them through that time.”

P.E.A.R.L. is located at 115 N. Dixieland Road in Rogers. To get connected to a peer support specialist and resources, contact them at 479-721-6778 and learn more at www.arpearl.org.

Our new facility is taking shape and looking good! If you have the chance, please drive by the intersection of Hwy 71 and Pleasant Grove Road. You can’t miss it on the southeast corner of the intersection . We appreciate everyone who has made this construction possible. For more information on the Capital Campaign or find out how you can get involved, please visit www.hope.nwafoodbank.org.

Our staff celebrated Hunger Action Day 2023 by volunteering at our Feed Rogers pantry in downtown Rogers. It is so nice to get to see the smiles on our neighbors faces first hand. Thank you for supporting our organization that allows us to help so many families in the NWA region by providing much needed food to them. #feedingnwa

Each month we are blessed with the best volunteers in the area! This is just a sample of some of the wonderful people who donated their time with us in our warehouse, teaching garden, Feed Rogers pantry, or at one of our Mobile Pantries. If you are interested in volunteering with us, please visit www.nwafoodbank.org/volunteer to find a date and time that works best for you. We appreciate all of volunteers each and every day!