Arvest provides 1.8 million meals to hungry with help of local partners

Arvest Bank, with the help of customers and communities, the bank announced Friday (Nov. 15) it exceeded the campaign goal by raising a total of 1.8 million meals in the fight against hunger with its 1 Million Meals effort.

The campaign total of 1,813,384.95 million meals was made possible with donations from the bank, Arvest associates, customers and local residents through fundraisers, events and nonperishable food drives in all Arvest branches from Sept. 4 through Nov. 2. The success of the campaign comes just in time to help local food banks and hunger organizations meet their increased needs during the holiday season.

“We are thrilled that, through the efforts of our customers and associates, Arvest was able to provide meals to our neighbors in need,” said Lisa Ray, Arvest Bank president in Springdale. “We hope the increased awareness about hunger in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley will continue to help feed our neighbors long after we’ve completed this year’s campaign. One Million Meals is a great example of the impact that can be made when many people come together.”

In Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley, Arvest partnered with 18 food partners for the campaign. The organizations will receive all donations from their local area, and this year 706,623 total meals were provided in overall in Northwest Arkansas and the Fort Smith region.

The organizations in Northwest Arkansas and the Fort Smith area are:
• Helping Hands, Bentonville
• Oasis Food Pantry at Free Will Evangelical Church, Bella Vista
• Farmington Senior Center, Farmington
• 7Hills Homeless Center, Fayetteville
• Life Source International, Fayetteville
• Arkansas Rice Depot Food for Kids Backpack Program, Fort Smith
• Community Services Clearinghouse Meals for Kids Backpack Program, Fort Smith
• Gravette Gardens, Gravette
• Madison County Senior Activity Center Meals On Wheels, Huntsville
• The Grace Place, Lincoln
• First Baptist Church of Lowell Food Pantry, Lowell
• NWA Food Bank, Lowell
• West Fork Elementary Backpack Program, West Fork
• Life Ministries, Prairie Grove
• Pea Ridge Ministerial Alliance, Pea Ridge
• Samaritan Community Center, Rogers
• Manna Center, Siloam Springs
• Springdale Public Schools Health Services, Springdale

All money and nonperishable food items raised through this campaign directly benefitted 53 different organizations feeding local communities in four states – Arkansas, Kansas Missouri and Oklahoma.

The bank decided to provide one million meals because hunger is an issue in every community it serves. In 2012, one in six American households reported food hardship, or not having adequate funds to provide enough food for their family.

For more information about 1 Million Meals, visit arvest.com/millionmeals.