Arkansas Foodbank

Our next 40 Faces of the Arkansas Foodbank are Jo & Presley Melton! The Melton Family are long-term supporters of the Foodbank - 26 years!! - and we are so thankful for their commitment to our mission! When asked why they continue to partner with the Foodbank, Jo & Presley say, "When we pause to see and hear stories of individuals in our state who are hungry, we are compelled to respond with compassion and support. The good people of the Arkansas Foodbank see and serve these individuals with humility and kindness. We trust them to bring us all together as a community." Thank you for your continued support!!

Our next Staff Highlight is Cindy Nguyen! As our Program Operations Coordinator, Cindy plays a pivotal role in ensuring our food boxes are packed with the freshest produce and dry goods! When asked about her proudest accomplishment at work, Cindy replies: "I am proud to be able to help feed those in need by providing food assistance for the USDA Program, Backpack Program, Summer Feeding Program, Senior Box Program, and Pop Up Pantry Mobile distributions." Thank you so much for all your do for Arkansans, Cindy!! 🧡

Our Corporate Sponsor for October is Safe Foods Chemical Innovations / PSSI! Learn more about the impactful work of Safe Foods/PSSI and hear firsthand why they are so dedicated to partnering with the Arkansas Foodbank to combat food insecurity in Arkansas.

With the holiday season in full swing, we can use your help more than usual to help provide food for our neighbors! This year, consider hosting a non-perishable food drive or a fund drive for the Arkansas Foodbank. It is a great group activity for a family, friend group, social club, or workplace. Every can, jar, and box of food is very appreciated, and every $1 raised helps us provide 5 meals! We hope you'll join us in the fight against hunger this holiday season. 🧡 Learn more or sign up here: https://lnkd.in/g2_9egq7

Our next 40 Faces of the Arkansas Foodbank is Terri Hammond! Terri serves at the Geyer Springs UMC Food Pantry, which has been open for over 30 years! When asked about her connection to the Arkansas Foodbank, Terri says: "My journey with food scarcity began in 1965, teaching Headstart in Atlanta. Since then, my husband and I have dedicated ourselves to feeding the hungry. After moving to Arkansas, we joined Geyer Springs United Methodist and involved our community in hunger relief through VBS, eventually opening our own food pantry in 1991. Being one of the 40 Faces is an honor, as this mission has been among the most rewarding of my life. Thanks to Arkansas Foodbank's support, we can feed 300 families a month and provide essential community resources. It’s a joy to be part of such a meaningful organization." We are thankful for all you do!

This fall, we have been riding along with the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance as they present grants to some of our agency partners! Thanks to their Serving Up Solutions event, several state representatives were able to provide these generous grants, and we are thrilled to celebrate these contributions with our partner agencies! Congrats, y'all! 🎉 Pictured: Sheridan Ministerial Alliance, The Grove - North Little Rock, and Parkway Place

Our next Staff Highlight is Mikaela Monahan! Mikaela serves as our Marketing Coordinator. Since November 2022 she has brought creativity to each of our Foodbank designs, including the Tom Brannon Hawaiian shirts for the Summer Cereal Drive! She also does an amazing job capturing the stories of our community members, whether they run a partner agency or are accessing our food resources. When asked about her proudest accomplishment at work, she replied, "I am endlessly thankful for the opportunities I have with the Arkansas Foodbank to use my skills in design and media to share the important mission we have with our community. I am proud to help share our neighbors’ stories through my videos and photos and highlight our impact on Arkansas." Thanks for all you do, Mikaela! Thanks for all you do, Mikaela!!

We had an amazing time at last week's Lunch with Leadership event! This intimate gathering allows a group of our community supporters to connect with our dedicated staff and the incredible leaders behind our agency partners. We were thrilled to introduce this group to the inspiring team at The Grove, a neighbor-choice pantry in North Little Rock. Thank you to our wonderful supporters, board members, and staff who attended, and a special shoutout to The Grove for graciously hosting us! P.S. We can't not mention the delicious desserts that were baked by one of The Grove volunteers! So good!

Our next 40 Faces of the Arkansas Foodbank is Annette Howard Dove, M.Ed.! Annette is the Founder and Director of TOPPS, Inc, an agency that we work with in Pine Bluff. Read below to see what Annette has to say about being a part of the Arkansas Foodbank ⬇ "From an organization once struggling to feed our neighbors, to one that now supports hundreds of families each month and helps hundreds of children every day- the Arkansas Foodbank has been a vital partner in our growth."

We are honored to announce that the Arkansas Foodbank has been named the 2024 Headliner of the Year by the Arkansas Press Association! This prestigious award is typically given to standout individuals, but this year, our 40 years of service in the fight against hunger is being recognized. In the article, our CEO, Brian Burton, shared his reaction: "I was moved beyond words when I learned of this award... It’s a tribute to the compassion, generosity, and humanity of Arkansans." Even more exciting, Brian will be accepting this incredible honor on behalf of the Arkansas Foodbank at the 3rd Annual Press Freedom Gala on October 24th. We are so grateful to our community for helping us serve 33 counties and distribute over 40 million pounds of food each year. Thank you to the ARKANSAS PRESS ASSOCIATION, INC. for this recognition. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g4ee-EKS