Crosslines in McDonald County is excited about Arvest's launch of this year's 1 Million Meals initiative because it makes a huge difference, according to executive director Angie Martin.
"It helps us get through the summer months when the donations aren't coming in," Martin said. "It's a really big portion of what we bring in. We're feeding between 700 and 800 families a month, and in the summer that rises. That's just out of McDonald County."
Arvest's 1 Million Meals initiative challenges bank associates, customers and community members to participate in fundraising efforts and nonperishable food drives to fight hunger in the more than 120 communities the bank serves. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports more than 12 percent of American households surveyed in 2015 were food insecure, meaning they lacked access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle for all household members.
Arvest is conducting its annual initiative in the spring for the second consecutive year due to the fact food banks report an increased need for food items in the summer, when many children do not have the benefit of eating meals at the schools they attend. In July 2015, for example, less than 9,000 students in Missouri who participated in the National School Lunch Program participated in the summer program. According to the Food Research and Action Center, that's compared to the more than 386,000 students who received a free or reduced-price lunch -- on average -- during the 2014-2015 school year. Donations to food banks also tend to be lower in the spring and summer than at other times of the year.
Arvest kicked off the two-month, bankwide effort April 3 to provide at least one million meals to local hungry families. The program continues through June 3.
General News on 04/20/2017