Food Bank’s Christie Jordan Feeds And Leads The Masses
by June 30, 2015 9:42 am 181 views
Editor’s Note: Talk Business & Politics Northeast Arkansas correspondent Michael Wilkey recently visited with Jonesboro Regional Chamber Of Commerce Governmental Affairs committee chairman Christie Jordan about her work on the panel and as executive director of the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas.
TB&P: You serve as the governmental affairs committee chairman for the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce. What would you say is the most interesting thing you have learned so far in the job?
Christie Jordan: I’ve always appreciated the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, but it wasn’t until I became active in this committee that I realized that the things our community has come to expect from our chamber aren’t the norm for all chambers of commerce. Our local, state, and national officials are very receptive to the issues that we bring to them. The Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce works to cultivate these relationships for the benefit of our community.
TB&P: The committee recently took a trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the state’s congressional delegation as well as federal officials on issues related to Jonesboro and Northeast Arkansas. How did those meetings go? Also, one of the big issues facing the region is infrastructure, in particular completing Ark. 226 in western Craighead County as well as upgrading U.S. 63 to I-555. What did you hear from officials and the delegation about the projects?
Jordan: Although I was unable to participate in this year’s trip to Washington, D.C., our committee members and other participants felt that the trip was beneficial. Not only do we schedule time to meet with our members of Congress, we also facilitate the opportunity to meet the staff members for our elected officials.
Arkansas 226 is funded and due for completion in 2016. In regard to U.S. 63 (future I-555), Congressman Crawford has made a proposal to exempt I-555 from certain restrictions regarding farm equipment on interstate roads. The Arkansas legislature has also endorsed this idea. At this time, we are waiting to see if this proposal is approved by Congress.
TB&P: A man who was synonymous with the committee’s work throughout the years was Ed Way, who passed away earlier this year. I wanted to check to see if you could talk about Way’s work with the committee, the Jonesboro chamber as well as his impact in the community.
Jordan: With the passing of Ed Way, Jonesboro lost a leader in our community. Ed was my predecessor as chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee. He was a friend to many, a fellow Rotarian, and a champion for Jonesboro. Ed Way was a strong supporter of the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce. He chaired both the Transportation Committee and the Governmental Affairs Committee at various times throughout the years. This was the first time in a number of years that Ed wasn’t part of the D.C. fly-in with the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce. In the Congressional Record Proceedings of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, April 16, 2015, Congressman Crawford said, “Because Ed’s life was a long road of community service, the best way for us to honor his memory is through the continuation of that work.”
TB&P: In your day job, you work as the CEO of the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. The food bank’s work has grown over the past several years and the organization has moved into a new building just off U.S. 63. Please talk about the work that the organization does every day as well as the support you receive from businesses and individuals alike.
Jordan: The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas provides hunger relief to people in need by raising awareness, securing resources, and distributing food through a network of nonprofit agencies and programs. Many people think that hunger or food insecurity are problems that only under-developed countries face. But sadly, hunger is an unwelcome guest in many homes in Arkansas. Each week over 5,000 people receive food assistance from a food pantry, soup kitchen, or shelter that is associated with the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas.
Through the generosity of the Jonesboro community and the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas was able to move from a 13,000 square foot building to a new 56,000 square foot distribution center. This was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for our organization. The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation paid 100% of the cost to build, equip, and furnish our facility, but we had to raise a 20% match to show that the community supported the Food Bank’s mission. The money that the community contributed to meet the matching requirement created a program endowment so that a portion is invested into programs each year.
We have been in our new facility for two-and-a-half years and our distribution has grown from 1.6 million meals to more than 4 million meals annually. While most people are impressed when they learn how much food we distribute, there is still much work to be done. Research shows that there is a meal gap of 17 million meals in the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas’ service area. To provide adequate food for the poverty population in our area, we would have to distribute an additional 9 million meals annually.
The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas wouldn’t exist without the generosity of others. We fundraise and write grants to support our work. Numerous businesses and individuals support the mission of the Food Bank through gifts of time, food, and money. I am grateful for each donor, and I never cease to be amazed at the generosity of the Northeast Arkansas community.