FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — According to Feeding America, more than 13% of households in Northwest Arkansas are food insecure while 16.6% of households suffer statewide.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is partnering with 24 Northwest Arkansas organizations to fight food insecurity in our area.
The Northwest Arkansas Food Insecurity Community of Practice (NWA CoP), launched in 2021, is run by an advisory board of individuals who are currently experiencing food insecurity or have experienced food insecurity in the recent past.
“This group of organizations represents a diverse cross-section of Northwest Arkansas’s food insecurity resources,” said Emily English, DrPH, MPS, assistant professor in the UAMS Office of Community Health and Research. “They bring experience, expertise and dedication to ensuring all of our community members have access to the food they need to thrive.”
Below is a list of participating organizations.
- Arkansas Children’s Northwest
- FoodCorps Arkansas
- Ozark Regional Transit
- Arkansas Immigrant Defense
- Full Circle Food Pantry
- Saint James Missionary Baptist
- Berryville Community Center
- Little Free Pantry
- Salvation Army
- Canopy NWA
- Manna Center
- Samaritan Community Center
- Chestnut Meadows
- Marshallese Educational Initiative
- Seeds That Feed
- Cobblestone Farms
- Northwest Arkansas Food Bank
- Sunshine School
- Community Clinic
- Oasis of NWA
- Tri-Cycle Farms
- DHS Division of Children & Family Services
- Open Arms
- Urban League of the State of Arkansas Young Professionals
These NWA CoP organizations work toward reducing food insecurity in Northwest Arkansas by increasing access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits. These benefits include improving equitable and inclusive healthy food access, evolving food recovery and distribution models and helping organizations collaborate to respond to rapidly changing circumstances that lead to food insecurity.
“This community of practice has such a wealth of knowledge,” said Marla Sappington of the Manna Center. “Our hearts and minds are working to help others who don’t have the resources to meet everyday needs. I’m so blessed to be a part of the group, to learn from others and to help create a safety net for our community members.”
For more information about the Northwest Arkansas Food Insecurity Community of Practice and its participating organizations, click here.
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