JONESBORO, Ark – February 20, 2024: The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas was awarded a $25,000 grant by the Arkansas Community Foundation Disaster Recovery Fund for disaster relief in Cross County. The grant funds will be used to provide disaster food boxes and personal hygiene items for victims of the March 2023 tornado that ravaged the city of Wynne.
“Although The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas provided emergency food supplies immediately following the tornado that hit Cross County in April 2023, we also understand that communities and families significantly impacted by natural disasters need long-term support through the recovery process,” said Christie Jordan, CEO for the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. “By providing food and personal care items, we hope to alleviate stress and difficult choices that some families are facing as they rebuild their lives.”
The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas partners with Cherry Valley Food Pantry, The Good Shepherd Center, Hickory Ridge United Methodist Church, Wynne Church of Christ, AR Care-Parkin, 363 Feed the Need, and the Wynne Senior Life Center to served food insecure individuals in Cross County communities.
In 2023, the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas distributed more than 417,600 pounds of food in Cross County.
About Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas:
The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas provides hunger relief to people in need by raising awareness, securing resources, and distributing food through a network of non-profit agencies and programs. The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas provides the equivalent of 132,000 meals each week to people facing hunger. The Food Bank works in partnership with 180 non-profit partner agencies and programs in 12 counties in Northeast Arkansas. These counties include: Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, Randolph, St. Francis, and Woodruff. Additionally, the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas is a member of Feeding America, a national network of food banks. Through our many partnerships, every $1 donated can help provide 3.5 meals. For additional information, please visit our website www.foodbankofnea.org. You can also find the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas on Facebook @FoodBankofNEA, Twitter @foodbankofnea, and Instagram @foodbankofnea.
About the Arkansas Community Foundation Disaster Recovery Fund
Arkansas Community Foundation’s Disaster Recovery Fund was activated in the wake of the tornados that hit central Arkansas and Wynne, Arkansas on March 31, 2023. Pulaski, Lonoke and Cross counties were declared disaster areas by state and federal governments. The Arkansas Community Foundation received donations from the public to support the affected community’s intermediate and long-term recovery. The purpose is to provide a source of support for needs that arise after the initial disaster relief phase, as the community begins to rebuild. The Disaster Recovery Fund’s goal is to help these communities grow stronger and more resilient than before.