Wednesday afternoon, city and county leaders met at the Food Bank of North Arkansas for an advocacy meeting to discuss how local leaders can help with food insecurity in the Twin Lakes area.According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Arkansas now ranks #1 in food insecurity across the nation.
During the advocacy meeting, the Executive Officer of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance Kathy Webb shared with local government leaders a variety of programs that can have a direct impact such as the state food purchase program, summer meal EBT, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), healthy school meals for all, nutrition education and eliminating food deserts.
Webb encouraged leaders to speak to their representative to encourage them help in solutions for food insecurity as well as speak to local schools, churches and other organizations to encourage families to participate.
Earlier in January, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Arkansas will join the Summer Election Benefit Transfer (EBT) which will assist families to purchase food during the summer months for qualified children. Arkansas joins 34 other states in which children who qualify for the National School Lunch Program will receive $120 per student in food benefits during the summer months.
Webb states there are many barriers to participation in Arkansas and the goal of the Alliance is to reduce those barriers with the help of elected officials and states transportation is a big issue for low-income.
Jeff Quick, CEO of the Food Band of North Arkansas, concluded the meeting with sharing local activities community leaders can participate in such as packing boxes for seniors, Feed the Pack, harvesting and planting of hunger gardens and the farmers market.
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