ARKANSAS, USA — As Give Where You Live continues until Sunday, the bins at Harps are filling up with items, and it’s all part of a larger journey.
The food drive allows the community to help food banks prepare for the holiday season.
When you drop off your nonperishable items at your local Harps, they’re picked up by the regional food banks in Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith, and that’s only the beginning.
Food pantries across the area are on the front lines of distributing these items.
“Those partner agencies are using the food that the food bank helps distribute to them, and then they help our neighbors in need here in Northwest Arkansas,” said Austin Harms, food resource manager for the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.
One of those partner agencies is Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers.
Pastor Eric Longman says after a small beginning, the church’s food pantry now serves hundreds of people each month.
“Our food pantry started probably 25 years ago with one of our church secretaries, who noticed how frequently people would come in asking for help. On her own, she just started collecting some items so that she would be able to provide food assistance from time to time,” Pastor Longman said.
With support from the congregation and the food bank, the church’s food pantry has grown to help more people and provide more resources.
“We try to give them a cereal bag that has things for cereal and breakfast, then a main bag for dinner, and then we have a toiletries bag. This month we have fresh potatoes, and we also have chicken that Tyson donated,” said Krista Malone, the church’s food pantry coordinator.
The service is strengthened by the partnership with the food bank.
“Having the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank as part of that mix enables us to [help people] on a bigger scale. We can do it at less cost, and we're able to touch more people with assistance,” Pastor Longman said.
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