TAKING ACTION:
Upcoming event will dish out help for the hungry
Harvest Regional Food Bank is gearing up for its 27th annual Taste of Texarkana from 5 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 23 at Four States Fairgrounds. More than 40 food and beverage vendors will provide samples of their best offerings.
“This event is really special to the community because it’s family-friendly and because of the variety of vendors that take part,” said Camille Wrinkle, Harvest Regional Food Bank executive director. “We really have something for everyone from gourmet foods to specialty desserts, down to barbecue and hamburgers.”
Attendees are invited to sample foods from all the vendors to their satisfaction. Vendors will also be vying for several awards during the night, including Best of Taste, Greatest Gourmet, Taster’s Choice, Most Spirit, Crowd Favorite and Best Theme. The Moss Brothers Band will provide entertainment.
VIP tickets are $50 and include reserved seating, entertainment and other perks. VIP tables are also available. Adult tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, and children 6 to 12 are $10 both in advance and at the door. Children 5 and under are free.
All proceeds benefit the hunger relief programs of Harvest Regional Food Bank, which serves more than 55,000 individuals in 10 counties each year through a network of more than 100 partner agencies, pantries, shelters and soup kitchens.
Harvest has set a goal of raising $60,000 with Taste of Texarkana.
“These funds are vital to the services we provide. This money helps our ability to secure food through low-cost vendors and
deliver that food throughout our 10-county area,” Wrinkle said. “Because we serve such a high number of food-insecure families, we often fill in with purchased staples like pasta and some canned vegetables.”
The services are much needed in this area because Texas and Arkansas consistently rank in the top five for the highest incidence of hunger.
“Nearly 20 percent of our local residents miss meals due to food insecurity, including one in four children,” Wrinkle said. “Harvest works to eliminate hunger through food banking, food rescue, the Backpack Program and mobile pantry program.”
Taste of Texarkana goes hand-in-hand with Harvest Regional Food Bank’s mission.
“This makes perfect sense for our mission because it’s all about providing food and hunger relief throughout Southwest Arkansas and Northeast Texas, and Taste of Texarkana is a great way to incorporate our restaurant community into that goal,” Wrinkle said.
Tickets may be purchased online at harvestregionalfoodbank.org or at TEXAR on Jefferson Avenue, TEXAR Main Branch on Richmond Road, Julie’s Deli, Dot’s Ace Hardware, Heavenly Sweets of Ashdown, Ark., and Harvest Regional Food Bank. For more information, call 870-774-1398.