Arkansas Foodbank Tops Distribution Record for Fourth Straight Year

 

Help for those in need came in leaps and bounds in 2019. The Arkansas Foodbank finished the year by distributing a record 29,509,708 pounds of food. The total surpassed the previous record set in 2018 by over 2 million pounds.

“Our goal each and every year is to find ways we can come together to provide more food to those in need,” said Rhonda Sanders, CEO. “We want to be as ambitious as the year before and in 2019 we did exactly that. In 2020, we will continue to look for new pathways to connect people, resources and food to reach those in need.”

The 2019 distribution total is an 8% increase over the previous year and translates into approximately 24.5 million meals for the 280,000 Arkansans we help serve. Furthermore, the Foodbank was able to continue its focus on more nutritious foods by distributing 5.8 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.

But sadly, hunger still remains a prevalent issue in Arkansas as nearly 1 in 5 Arkansans do not know where their next meal is coming from. While we have reduced the number of hungry people across the state, Arkansas still ranks second in overall hunger (Feeding America) and second in child hunger (Feeding America).

“We are forever grateful to all of our local businesses, food retailers and manufacturers, farmers and individuals who helped make a difference by building stronger and healthier communities across our state.”