FEEDING THE HUNGRY
Area food banks and pantries serve local need
Stretching a grocery budget is common in most households in today’s economy.
As people continue to be out of work or struggling to make ends meet, families have to find ways to make their money go farther or find other resources to help.
Food banks are often a go-to for help supplementing a household’s food supply. In recent years, the number of food banks and the number of people who use them have increased exponentially.
Most people think hunger is a problem other cities have. However, Texarkana has its share of food-insecure families.
Mothers and fathers go to bed each night unsure how they will feed their children the next day, elderly people have to decide between life-saving medication or food, and many others find themselves food-insecure.
According to the East Texas Food Bank website, one in six households in Texas struggle with hunger today, with Texas ranking seventh in child food-insecurity.
The East Texas Food Bank is an example of an organization taking on the mission of fighting hunger. They were able to meet the needs of 252,900 clients last year through partner agencies throughout East Texas.
Harvest Regional Food Bank is another example of a local agency with the goal of feeding America. One of their programs, Backpack for Kids, provides more than 700 food-insecure students with nutritious, child-friendly food for the weekend during the school year. They distributed more than 2.8 million pounds of food to more than 10 counties in Southwest Arkansas and Northeast Texas.
Food banks receive food from a variety of sources: food drives, growers, wholesalers, restaurants, grocery stores, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and others. The food is packed up at a distribution center and picked up or delivered to partnering agencies in the area.
From there, agencies distribute the food to clients. Area churches participate by partnering with Harvest Regional Food Bank and East Texas Food Bank or holding food drives of their own.
The following list includes area places that offer a soup kitchen or pantry to help those in need. Each program has its own criteria and process for obtaining services. Call in advance for each program’s service days and necessary documentation.
BOWIE COUNTYTEXAS Pantry,5 LoavesRed Lick2 First Fishes MethodistFood Church, 3601 Farm to Market Road 2148. Serves residents 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. third Tuesday of every month. Bethel Seventh-day Adventist Church, 489 S. Kings Highway, Texarkana. Call 903832-6036 for information. Buchanan United Methodist Church, 5115 S. Kings Highway, Texarkana. Serves Liberty-Eylau residents only. Call 903-793-8968.
Dorcus House, Hampton Church of Christ, 6262 St. Michael Drive, Texarkana. Call 903-831-6080. Eylau UMC, 5214 U.S. Highway 59, Texarkana. Call 903-838-8778. Faith Missionary Baptist Church, 301 N. Bowie St., New Boston. Call 903-628-3395. Fighting Hunger by Faith, 906 E. Fifth St., Hooks. First Baptist Church, 105 Redwater Blvd. E., Redwater. Call 903-671-2142. First Baptist Church, 129 Main St., Maud. Call 903-5852569. Flower Acres Baptist
Church, 3000 Flower Acres Road, Texarkana. Provides produce the second and fourth Thursday of the month and pantry services the last Friday of month. Must make an appointment the first Wednesday of the month. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 903-793-0419. Friendship Center, 620 W. Fourth St., Texarkana. Call 903792-1301. Hardy Memorial UMC, 6203 N. Kings Highway, Texarkana. Call 903-793-1116. Helping Hands Ministries, 1223 Main St., Texarkana, Texas Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, 903 Summerhill Road, Texarkana. Call 903-792-3370. Hopewell’s Helping Hands, 3320 S. Lake Drive, Texarkana, Texas Little Is Much, First Baptist Church, 500 E. New Boston Road, Nash. Call 903-838-5104. MANNA Kitchen, 301 N. Center St., New Boston. Call 903-628-2444. Mount Sinai House of Prayer, 100 Gazola St., Texarkana. Call 903-831-7041. Nash Full Gospel Holy Temple, 200 College Ave., Nash. Call 903-838-4469. Oaklawn Baptist Church, 2918 New Boston Road, Texarkana. Call 903-838-4631. Personal Touch Food Pantry, Calvary Baptist Church, 3895 U.S. Highway 67 W., Simms. Call 903-280-5423. Randy Sams’ Outreach Shelter, 402 Oak St., Texarkana. Call 903-792-7024. Senior Citizens Services, 905 S. Kilgore St., Texarkana. Call 903-831-7696. Unity Missionary Baptist Church, 603 Waterall St., Texarkana. Victory City Baptist Church, 400 McDonald Road, Hooks. Call 903-547-2869. Westside Church of Christ, 524 Sowell Lane, Texarkana. Call 903-832-5551. Williams Memorial UMC, 4000 Moores Lane, Texarkana. Call 903-832-8663.
CASS COUNTY
First Baptist Church and Mission, 115 E. Hiram St., Atlanta. Call 903-796-7925. United Methodist Church, 200 Church St., Avinger. Call 903-562-1155. Christian Pantry, 14555 County Road 3126, Domino. Call 903-244-6600. First Baptist Church, 302 E. Third St., Hughes Springs.
First UMC, 318 N. Taylor, Hughes Springs. Call 903-8975616. Linden Church of Christ, Centerhill Road, Linden. Call 903-617-2061.
MILLER ARKANSASCOUNTY Christ UMC, 5204 S. Rondo Road, Texarkana. Call 870-7744091. Faith Assembly of God, 2001 Arkansas Blvd., Texarkana. Call 870-773-1234. Lifehouse Church, 915 East St., Texarkana. Call 870-216-1936. New Hope Baptist Church, 620 County Road 192, Doddridge. Call 870-691-2872. Posy Ministries Outreach Center, 831 Laurel St., Texarkana. Call 903-280-3563. Salvation Army, 400 E. Fourth St., Texarkana. Call 870774-2701 on Mondays only. SWADC Miller County Senior Adult Center, 1007 Jefferson Ave., Texarkana. Call 870-216-1136. St. Edward Outreach Center, 416 Ash St., Texarkana. Call 870772-1115. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday.
Sugar Hill UMC, 1621 Sugar Hill Road, Texarkana. Call 870779-1805. Total Life Outreach Center, 1815 Rose St., Texarkana.
HEMSTEAD COUNTY Hope in Action, 606 W. Third St., Hope. Call 870-777-8227.
Hope in Action No. 2, 2500 U.S. 67 W., Hope. Call 870-7774112. Life House Hope, 600 Oak St., Hope. Our Lady of Good Hope, 315 S. Walker, Hope. Call 870-7773202. Rainbow of Challenges, P.O. Box 1540, Hope. Call 870-7774671. Straight and Narrow Path Ministry, 513 S. Elm St., Hope. Call 870-777-8500.
HOWARD COUNTY Bread of Life, 301 W. Dodson St., Nashville. Call 870-845-5151.
Dierks Community Food
Pantry, 906 Herman St., Dierks.
First Assembly of God, 809 Herman Ave., Dierks. Call 870286-2625. New View Church of Christ, 11166 Arkansas Highway 278 W., Nashville. Call 870-845-1474.
LITTLE RIVER COUNTY Community Freewill Baptist, 791 S. Martin Luther King Drive, Ashdown. Call 870898-8430. First Baptist Church, 915 Schuman St., Foreman. Call 870542-7094. SWADC Foreman Senior Center, 221 N. Bell St., Foreman. Call 870-542-6253.
First UMC, 145 East Commerce St., Ashdown. Call 870-898-5738. Little River County TSAA, 34 W. Wood St., Ashdown.
Winthrop UMC, 714 Broad St., Winthrop. Email shelia. klitz@whiti.net.
LAFAYETTE COUNTY Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Arkansas, 205 Thomas St., Stamps. Call 870533-2345. Trinity Trails Worship Center, 206 E. Fourth St., Bradley. Missionary Bible Church, 222 Antigo St., Stamps. Call 870533-6009.
NEVADA COUNTY
Foodshare Arkansas, 229 E. Main St., Prescott. Call 870-8873663.
E. SEVIERDe Haes Queen Ave., COUNTYSeniorDe Queen. Center, Call 605 870-584-3995.N. Faith Third andSt., De Deliverance,Queen. Call 870584-3340.322 Call First 870-832-2281.Baptist Church, Horatio. Lockesburg,First Baptist3466 S. Camellia,Church Lockesburg. Call 870-289-2121. Geneva GEMS, 188 Geneva Church Road, De Queen. Call 870-642-3509. His Way Fellowship, 321 W. Gilson Ave., De Queen. Call 870642-8937. Horatio UMC, 303 Pennock, Horatio. Call 870-832-0242.
Lillies Pad, 301 W. Stillwell Ave., De Queen. Call 870-6427767. Mary and Martha Center, 519 S. Fourth St., De Queen. Call 870-642-5696. Praise Temple, 129 W. Locke Ave., De Queen. De Queen Church of Christ, De Queen. Call 870-658-2431.
Salvation Army, 310 W. De Queen St., De Queen. Call 870584-8035.