Jonesboro, AR – The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas seeks volunteers to assist with its second annual
“Harvesting Hope” event. From 7:00 a.m. to noon on July 6-7, volunteers will harvest three acres of sweet corn
from a Greene County field, with proceeds going to Northeast Arkansas neighbors facing food insecurity.
The project is a collaboration between Cliff Carter Farms, the Arkansas Community Foundation, and the Food
Bank of Northeast Arkansas. The harvested corn will be rapidly distributed through the Food Bank of Northeast
Arkansas’ network of partner agencies to the tables of hungry families and individuals in this area.
Funded by an “Access to Local Foods” grant from the Arkansas Community Foundation, Greene County farmer
Cliff Carter planted the corn crop in coordination with the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. Volunteers are
needed to harvest the corn acreage by hand. In 2025, the Harvesting Hope effort produced approximately 50,000
pounds of corn for hungry neighbors in the region.
“We hope to have an overwhelming response to our request for help,” said Rebecca Hendrix, Chief Development
Officer for the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. “The more hands we have, the faster we can take this corn from
the field to families in need. We are thankful for the work Cliff Carter and his team have done to bring it to the
point of harvest.”
Further details and a registration link can be found at this link: Sign Up Here!
Food, hydration, and heat relief stations will be available on site. However, volunteers are encouraged to
adequately prepare for heat, humidity, and other challenges consistent with the rural agricultural setting.
Sponsorship opportunities are available to help offset the costs associated with this effort. Interested businesses or
individuals are encouraged to contact Development Officer Chrissy Holbrook at cholbrook@foodbankofnea.org.