Police join food partnership program

The Siloam Springs Police Department became the sixth law enforcement agency to join the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank’s food partnership program. The first set of 48 boxes were delivered to the police department on Aug. 2.

The boxes will assist the recipients, particularly when families have to leave their homes and food pantries are closed, said Austin Harms, community engagement coordinator for the Food Bank. The food boxes, which contain contact information about area pantries, can tide the families over until they have a chance to get to a pantry.

The boxes contain items that can be cooked or eaten straight from the package, which is important for assisting the homeless, he said.

Some of the items in the box include pasta, peanut butter, jelly, spaghetti sauce, rice, beans, macaroni and cheese, canned goods, tuna helper and cereal.

Lt. Derek Spicer, who heads up the investigation division of the Police Department, said the boxes give officers an opportunity to build relationships with the community.

“It’s a chance to show that we’re not out in the community to take people to jail,” he said. “It helps people in need.”

Many times officers are spending money out of their own pockets to help out families, Spicer said.

“These police departments are passionate about working with the community,” Harms said.

The Food Bank is partnering with Woodland Research, which is providing the funding for the program. Richard Lally, marketing manager for Woodland, said his company, which does a lot of work in the mental health field, is trying to reach out to the homeless population that is underserved in the mental health area.

“We’re glad the Food Bank reached out and we thank its partner for helping provide these boxes,” Spicer said.

The Food Bank will replenish the boxes approximately once a month.

The Food Bank serves more than 150 allied agencies in Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties.

The program is also operating in the Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville police departments as well as the sheriff’s offices in Benton and Washington counties.