THE NEED

Hunger has always been a concern for Northwest Arkansas, but the COVID-19 pandemic has created long lasting impacts that are still being felt by many of our neighbors. Loss of jobs and wages, rising medical bills and increased costs of basic goods have pushed many households into food insecurity for the first time and made other already difficult situations even more dire.

Prior to the pandemic, 1 in 8 Arkansans were experiencing food insecurity defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle. Today, nearly 1 in 7 people in Northwest Arkansas do not have enough to eat. That's more than 70,000 of our neighbors. Children save their school lunch for their younger siblings at home. Senior citizens choose between food and  prescription medications. Working families do without food they need so they can pay their medical bills.

As a result of projected population growth in Northwest Arkansas over the next 25 years, the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank is estimating a need for as many as 20 million meals by 2045. However, inadequate space for increased distribution, staff support and expanded program offerings has left the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank unable to meet current  or future clients' needs within its current space constraints.

Growing With Our Community

NWAFB has embarked on a $25,000,000 Food For Today. Hope For Tomorrow. capital campaign with plans to increase capacity and improve services and programs through the construction of a new facility and strategic network investments.