JONESBORO, Ark, March 1, 2023: The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas announced that a grant it received from the Community Foundation of Greene County, totaling $1,680, is being used to provide emergency food assistance through fresh produce distributions to struggling families in Greene County.
According to Christie Jordan, CEO of the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, the number of people requesting emergency food assistance has increased as food costs have continuously risen.
“We are grateful to the Community Foundation of Greene County for their support in helping us provide food assistance to families at risk of hunger during such a difficult time,” said Jordan. “Providing nutritious food is a priority for the Food Bank because it can help mitigate chronic diet-related health issues.”
Arkansas continually has one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the nation. According to the most recent Map the Meal Gap report, issued by Feeding America, the Food Insecurity rate in Arkansas is 14.7%. In comparison, Greene County has a food insecurity rate of 17% with 7,700 food insecure individuals.
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.