Arvest Bank completes 14th year of Million Meals initiative

Arvest Bank’s 14th annual Million Meals campaign raised $170,856 to benefit over 34 food partners in Northwest Arkansas and the Fort Smith metro. The Fayetteville-based company shared the details in a news release Friday (June 21).

During an event at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale on Thursday (June 20), the Fayetteville-based lender revealed its regional fundraising totals and presented checks to its food partners. The money raised helps provide the equivalent of 854,282 meals.

Each year, the Million Meals campaign raises money to feed local communities across Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri while also raising awareness about food insecurity. Every dollar raised through the campaign provides up to five meals for local, hungry families.

Monetary donations collected during the two-month-long campaign were given directly to food partners to help stock pantries during the busy summer months. Bank-wide, the campaign provided more than 2.6 million meals by donating $524,451 to 85 food partners.

“We are very proud to once again see our community come together to support our neighbors in need,” said Kent Williamson, president of Arvest Bank in Springdale. “Our fight against hunger isn’t just about filling empty stomachs but about nourishing communities and empowering individuals. We are very grateful to our customers, community members and associates for their continued support of such an important initiative.”

The Million Meals campaign takes place annually from April through May to help food partners meet the increased need during the summer months when many children don’t have the benefit of free meals at their schools. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Arkansas ranked No. 1 among the most food-insecure states in the nation based on average rates from 2020-2022.

Donations were collected at Arvest Bank branches, online, on the Arvest Go mobile app and by telephone. Since the hunger initiative began in 2011, the Million Meals campaign has provided more than 25 million meals and collected more than $4.6 million in donations. Last year, the campaign raised 2.29 million meals through monetary donations made directly to the bank’s local food partners.