More than half a million Arkansans live in poverty and experience hunger, and Arkansas has the nation’s highest rate of hunger and childhood hunger. To help fight poverty and fill the shelves of the Arkansas Foodbank, Riverfest partnered with Yarnell’s Ice Cream, Walmart and KARK Channel 4 to encourage attendees to bring non-perishable items to the festival to be collected and delivered to the Foodbank in 2011. Attendees were asked to donate some of the top 10 items needed by the Arkansas Foodbank, including:
- Canned Meats/Fish/Poultry
- Canned/Packaged Meals
- Peanut Butter
- Cereal
- Soups
- Canned Vegetables
- Canned Fruits
- 100% Juices
- Pasta and Pasta Sauces
- Diapers
7 food collection points were set up throughout the festival and over 5 tons of food were collected during the food drive.
In the weeks leading up to the festival, Walmart will also collected items in stores across Arkansas, which were distributed to the nearest Feeding America-certified food banks that are spread across the state – in Bethel Heights near Springdale, in Jonesboro, Norfork, Texarkana and Fort Smith, as well as to the Arkansas Foodbank’s Southeast Arkansas branch in Warren. The benefits of the Food Drive at Riverfest helped hungry Arkansans statewide.
Thank you for doing your part to help Riverfest, Yarnell’s, Walmart and KARK Channel 4 fight hunger in Arkansas. You bring the food. We’ll bring the fun!
