Arvest Bank's annual 1 Million Meals fundraising campaign has raised $5,763 in cash donations and 1,489 food items for Project HOPE Food Bank in Hot Springs, the bank recently said in a news release.
The bank exceeded its campaign goal within the four-state region it serves by raising a record total of 2,114,630 meals in the fight against hunger. The eighth annual 1 Million Meals campaign began April 2 and ran through June 2.
Don Gooch, market president of Arvest Bank in Hot Springs, presented a check to Ted Thompson, executive director of Project HOPE, in the amount of $5,763, representing all of the cash donations that were made locally. The nonprofit also received all of the food items that were contributed in Hot Springs.
Additionally, all monetary donations made in Hot Springs Village benefited Project HOPE, and all food donations made in Hot Springs Village were given to the food pantry at Faith Fellowship Church. Every monetary and food donation raised throughout the campaign directly benefited more than 75 local hunger relief organizations in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
"The fact that these donations remain right here in the community and make an impact locally is a significant factor in the success of this campaign," Gooch said in the release. "Hot Springs residents as a whole see the need and generously contribute to make our community stronger and healthier. We have so many people to thank for this year's success and, together, we are helping stock shelves with food for months to come."
Launched in 2011, Arvest's 1 Million Meals campaigns have raised a total 13,600,098 meals, which includes more than $2.3 million in funds given directly to the bank's dozens of local food partners, the release said.
This year's campaign total of more than 2 million meals was made possible through donations from the bank, Arvest associates, customers and community members through fundraisers, events and nonperishable food drives in all Arvest branches throughout April and May. With summer here, the success of the campaign is especially meaningful because many schoolchildren will be without the meals they ordinarily receive at school, the release said.
The bank's decision to provide one million meals was based on the fact that hunger is an issue in every community it serves. In 2016, more than 12 percent of American households surveyed were food-insecure, lacking access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle for all household members.
Local on 07/08/2018