Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
NWA Food Bank donor, volunteer driven
Higher utility bills, students home on break leads to rise in food insecurity
The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank’s mission statement is simple: To nourish Northwest Arkansas communities by feeding the hungry.
Kent Eikenberry, president and CEO of the organization, can boil it down even further.
“We give food away,” he said observing their charitable donation and volunteer-driven mobile food pantry in operation. “We have donors and volunteers to help us out. We couldn’t do any of it without them.”
In 2017, the last full year for which information is available, the NWA Food Bank gave away more than 12.5 million pounds of meat, cheese, fruits and vegetables, bread, and shelf stable products.
According to Feed America, another nonprofit organization in partnership with NWA Food Bank, one out of every eight NWA residents are food insecure. Food insecurity, as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, means “consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year.”
Kent and his staff, volunteers and donors work year around to elevate the that “insecurity” in Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington Counties by partnering with more than 160 agencies including pantries, senior centers and after school programs.
“Most of the area food pantries get nearly 90 percent of their food from us,” Kent explained. “When someone tells me that they volunteer at their church food bank, they actually mean they volunteer at their church food pantry. That pantry may be open only two hours a week, or three or four days a week, to have direct contact with those food insecure clients. We’re open five days a week just like any other business. We are there all of the time supporting our partner agencies and food pantries so they have what they need to help those who depend on them.”
Hunger and the Holidays
While the NWA Food Bank works to eliminate food insecurity 52 weeks a year, it’s during the holiday season the food bank sees local need increase.
It’s due to a couple of factors, Kent explained.
“One thing people don’t think about are the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks for schools,” he said. “Those students are home and it puts additional stress on the family grocery budget. Plus, it’s starting to cool off and utility costs are going up. Both of those impact household budgets before a family can even think about buying Christmas gifts for their kids. It’s tough.”
Kent said he is thankful for every financial donation and every hour of volunteer effort the food bank receives. It all matters, he said.
“If you have the opportunity to volunteer at a church food pantry or volunteer with our mobile pantry… do it,” he said. “I promise that you will see the face of someone go from despair to thankfulness to hope.
I got hooked 20-some years ago when volunteering at my church food pantry. I can’t imagine doing anything else. When you see the people here, and know that you are helping, you will get hooked.”