River Valley Regional Food Bank receives grant from Walmart Foundation

River Valley Regional Food Bank has received a $150,000 contribution to assist with receiving retail store donations. The grant, given to the non-profit organization through the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program, will give the food bank additional refrigerated storage, allowing the food bank to better serve the community.

“This gift is nothing short of a miracle from heaven,” said Ted Clemons, the food bank’s director. “Our current truck has over 120,000 miles on it and has needed constant repair.”

The grant was presented to Mark Whitmer of the Crawford-Sebastian Community Development Council during a check presentation ceremony held Monday (Sept. 29)  at The River Valley Regional Food Bank. During the ceremony, Whitmer thanked the food bank’s grocery and restaurant partners, the Walmart Distribution Center in Clarksville and the West Central Arkansas volunteer army of hunger fighters.

The food bank began operations 28 years ago. In 2008, the food bank distributed 3.2 million pounds of food; last year – $7.5 million. The food bank serves eight counties in West Central Arkansas – Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Scott, Sebastian, Polk and Yell counties. About 307,000 live in these counties, of which, 52,610 people are considered food insecure. Also in the area, 22,740 of the 77,546 children are considered food insecure reaching as many as one in three children living in food insecure households. Feeding America estimates 9.2 million meals are missing from the diets of West Central Arkansans.

Food bank stats show that close to 90% of retail food recovery comes from area Walmart Supercenter and Neighborhood Stores and Sam’s Club facilities.

“The Walmart Foundation is very pleased to be supporting the River Valley Regional Food Banks, and is committed to helping those in need in the communities where we serve,” said Michael Lindsey, Walmart Director of Public Affairs. “Through this grant, we are hopeful that needy residents in the River Valley will have additional opportunities to receive the food that they need.”

The contribution to River Valley Regional Food Bank was made possible through the Walmart Foundation’s Arkansas State Giving Program. Through this program, the Walmart Foundation supports organizations that create opportunities so people can live better. The Walmart Foundation State Giving Program strives to award grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the U.S.

Repair costs on the 2009 retail recovery box truck ran $16,018 in 2013 with an additional $3,734 in costs to rent a replacement unit. According to food bank officials, there were several days during the year where it was necessary to call and cancel pickups and there were several days when the unit was left stranded on the interstate highway awaiting towing services.
 
The new refrigerated truck will have 230 cubic feet more cargo space than the previous truck, which could in some cases avoid the need for a second run.

“In the course of a year, that will add roughly 55,000 cubic feet of pick up capacity, or almost 14 more truckloads of food in any given year,” noted a statement from the food bank.