JONESBORO, Ark – February 6, 2024: The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas was awarded a $25,000 grant by Farm Credit Mid-America to provide fresh produce in the 12 counties served by the Food Bank.
The USDA recently named Arkansas as the nation’s most food insecure state with 16.6% of Arkansans reporting low or very low food security. While fresh produce is an important part of a healthy, balanced diet, it is often too expensive for families with limited resources to purchase on a regular basis.
The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas is committed to making nutritious food available to people facing hunger. Since 2015, the Food Bank has operated the Fresh Produce Program to make sure fresh fruits and vegetables are available to food insecure populations.
“Living in an agricultural state, many of us take for granted the access we have to Fresh Produce, but many of our neighbors can’t always afford to choose healthy fruits and vegetables as part of their regular diet,” said Christie Jordan, CEO for the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. “The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas has made a commitment to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to families in need. We provide these foods through our food pantry network as well as holding fresh produce mobile pantry distributions throughout the year.”
Since 2015, the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas has distributed more than 14.4 million pounds of fresh produce.
About the 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 Farm Credit Mid-America
A proud member of the Farm Credit System, Farm Credit Mid-America exists to secure the future of rural communities and agriculture as a leading provider of reliable, consistent credit and financial services to the farmers, producers, agribusinesses and rural residents in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee. As a customer-owned cooperative, we manage a portfolio of $38 billion in assets. Our products and services include loans for real estate, operating lines of credit, equipment and rural living, as well as related services including crop and livestock insurance, and vehicle, equipment and building leases.