ARKANSAS, USA — An Arkansas organization handed out boxes of food to help fill the void during the pandemic.
Randy Morris is CEO of the Central Arkansas Development Council.
The organization is in 19 counties and are a local force in the War on Poverty.
“I got my team together and was trying to figure out some things that we could possibly do to help individuals in the communities that we serve,” Morris said.
The pandemic has increased the need they see.
Fortunately, they’ve received extra funding through a community service block grant for COVID-19 funding.
In May, the group launched an emergency food box distribution program.
“We have things like cereal, soup; they’ll get two rolls of toilet paper, they’ll get one roll of paper towels,” Morris said.
Volunteers have gone from town to town to make sure no one goes hungry.
Those who are on the receiving end have expressed how thankful they are.
“There was a lady that drove through, she was talking to me about how much she appreciates what we're doing,” Morris said.
Organizers said the long line of cars doesn’t surprise them because they’ve seen the need.
“The Benton office is right across the street from the Department of Workforce Services there in Benton, so we see the big lines of individuals standing in line, trying to get unemployment. So, we understood that this was a need that we could possibly help with,” Morris said.
By 9 a.m., hundreds of cars were at the Barton Coliseum and the group aimed to hand out 2,000 boxes. For some people in line, it may be their only guaranteed essentials.
“She pulled up and she started talking to me about how grateful she is, and she started crying,” Morris said.
Friday, they’ll be in Malvern and Arkadelphia. Next week, they’ll be in Hope, Texarkana, and Prescott.
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