Arvest, Fort Smith area agencies partner on 1 Million Meals push

Arvest Bank of Fort Smith/River Valley Region, will be partnering with Community Services Clearinghouse, River Valley Regional Food Bank, and River Valley Food 4 Kids for the 1 Million Meals initiative, a two-month, bank-wide effort to provide one million meals or more to those in need.

All three organizations will receive nonperishable food and monetary donations made at Arvest branches in Fort Smith, Van Buren, Alma, Greenwood, Clarksville, Russellville, Mena and Paris in Arkansas and in Oklahoma the Sallisaw, Poteau branches from Sept. 2 through Oct. 31. 

Community Services Clearinghouse works to feed the hungry through two programs – a food pantry and the Meals For Kids backpack program – serving five counties in Arkansas and two in Oklahoma.

The Meals For Kids program serves identified students in 83 schools in the area with nutritious snacks for the weekend.  Community Services Clearinghouse also partners with the Fort Smith, Ark., schools to provide bags in the summer. The program provides nearly 90,000 bags of food per year.

The River Valley Regional Food Bank is alleviating hunger in eight West Central Arkansas counties.  The food bank sources food and related product donations, warehouses and distributes that food through a network of 189 member agencies to roughly 46,000 individuals. Annually, the food bank provides 8 million pounds of food to families with children, the elderly and the disabled, homeless, veterans in need and long term unemployed adults. The value of the food bank’s yearly distributions is estimated at over $13 million.  The food bank is a member of Feeding America and the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and serves as a community partner of the United Way of the Fort Smith Area.

“We are thrilled to have all these organizations benefitting from the 1 Million Meals initiative in our area,” said Beth Presley, marketing director Arvest Fort Smith and River Valley. “The food and funds raised during this campaign will help provide meals for families right here in the communities that we serve and just in time for the holiday season.”

Fort Smith and the River Valley residents can help support the Community Services Clearinghouse, River Valley Regional Food Bank and River Valley Food 4 Kids during the initiative by dropping off nonperishable food items or purchasing a 1 Million Meals paper can for $1 at any of the 24 Arvest branches in Fort Smith, Van Buren, Alma, Greenwood, Clarksville, Russellville, Mena and Paris in Arkansas and in Oklahoma the Sallisaw, Poteau branches or calling (866) 952-9523 to contribute.  Every dollar raised through 1 Million Meals provides the equivalent of five meals for local, hungry families.