Over the last few years, the Flippin School District Food Pantry has relied on Arkansas’ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to fund its drive-through operation. The funding is no longer available, and as a result, the district is forced to close the pantry.
Flippin Superintendent Kelvin Hudson says he has not been given a reason for the cut to the funding.
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It’s not certain how many other pantries or similar operations are affected by the grant being discontinued. Hudson says it depends on where the other operations received their money.
Flippin School District normally averaged about 60 families being served per week. Hudson says the pantry offered various items to those in need.
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While the closure of the food pantry will have an effect, Hudson says the district has other means of getting food to its kids.
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Hudson says he’s been asked by community members what it would take to fund the food pantry in its entirety. He says with the increase in food costs, the district would need approximately $40,000 for the whole year.
Flippin School District continues to take donations of food and money. They also accept clothing donations, and there is a laundry program for their homeless youth. For more information, contact Lisa Daffron at lisadaffron@flippinschools.net.
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