Arvest Provides More Than 1.7 Million Meals

Two months ago, Arvest Bank launched its annual 1 Million Meals initiative to fight hunger in the four-state region the bank serves. The bank recently announced that, with the help of customers and community members, it has exceeded the campaign goal by raising a total of 1,712,601 meals in the fight against hunger.

Launched in 2011, Arvest’s 1 Million Meals campaigns have raised a six-year total of 9,604,185 meals, which includes more than $ 1.6 million in funds given directly to the bank’s more than 60 local food partners.

This year’s campaign total of 1.7 million meals was made possible through donations from the bank, Arvest associates, customers and community members through fundraisers, events and nonperishable food drives in all Arvest branches throughout April and May. With summer here, the success of the campaign is especially meaningful because many schoolchildren will be without the meals they ordinarily receive at school.

In Northwest Arkansas and the Fort Smith/ River Valley areas, Arvest Bank raised 660,049 meals that will stay in the communities where it was donated to help the local food partner organizations.

In western Washington County, the food drive will benefit Grace Place in Lincoln, Prairie Grove Elementary School Backpack Program and the Ambassador Club in Farmington. Fayetteville organizations include M& N Augustine Foundation and Salvation Army.

All money and food items raised through this campaign directly benefited 66 different organizations feeding local communities in four states — Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

The bank’s decision to provide one million meals was based on the fact hunger is an issue in every community it serves. In 2014, 17 percent of American households surveyed reported food hardship, or not having adequate funds to provide enough food for their family.