NW Health System helps promote hunger awareness with food drive

The NWA Food Bank, Northwest Health System and Two Men and A Truck will kick-off their new partnership by hosting a food drive at all 38 clinic locations and three hospitals in the local region. Each location will have a bin to collect nonperishable food items to help meet the growing needs of local residents. The collection bins will be inside each of Northwest Health System clinics and hospitals to help raise awareness of the issue of hunger and the effects it has on the body.
 
“It is with this partnership that both the NWA Food Bank and Northwest Health System hope that together we can lessen the pain of hunger and the effects on the body,” Sharif Omar, CEO, Northwest Health System said.
 
In Northwest Arkansas the issue of hunger affects 1 in 4 residents, thus the issue of hunger begins to cause the body to develop health issues like heart disease, diabetes, developmental delays in children and so many other harmful issues. As a secondary issue of hunger and poor health children miss more school, adults miss work and thus the productivity of local businesses begins to suffer. It is in the best interest of this region to have programs and partnerships like this one to help fight hunger and poor health to improve the quality of life for everyone in our local communities.
 
“The idea of collaborating with Northwest Health System is one that we welcome with open arms. It is with this type of partnership that we are able to fight the issue of hunger raise awareness,” said Marge Wolf, president and CEO of the NWA Food Bank.