Arvest surpasses 1 million meals goal
by November 9, 2012 3:18 pm 85 views
Two months ago, Arvest Bank launched its 1 Million Meals initiative to fight hunger in the 90 communities the bank serves.
The bank has announced it exceeded the campaign goal by raising a total of 1,384,578 million meals in the fight against hunger and just in time for the holidays.
The campaign total of 1,384,578 million meals was made possible through donations from the bank, Arvest employees, customers and local residents through in-branch fundraisers and nonperishable food drives in all Arvest branches during September and October.
“We are so glad that through this campaign, Arvest was able to raise both food and money for people who are in need. We hope that with increased awareness about hunger in our hometowns the community will continue to help throughout the year,” Craig Rivaldo, Arvest Bank president and CEO of the Fort Smith/River Valley region, said in a statement. “I’m proud of our associates and customers for this great accomplishment and thankful for the generosity of the people in this area. I know that through this effort we have been able to impact the fight against hunger.”
According to Arvest, 115,589 meals total were raised in the Fort Smith/River Valley region. All money and nonperishable food items raised through this campaign directly benefitted 44 different organizations feeding local communities in four states – Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
In Fort Smith/River Valley region, the Community Services Clearinghouse and the Arkansas Rice Depot were chosen to receive donations from the 1 Million Meals campaign.
The bank’s decision to provide 1 million meals was based on the fact that hunger is an issue in every community Arvest serves. The campaign wraps up just in time for the holidays, helping to meet the increased need food banks and hunger organizations face this time of year.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2011 report on household food security, nearly 49 million Americans are unable to get the nutritious food they need on a regular basis.