Food for Thought continues growth

I'Nita White with The Giving team helps Joe Taylor find clothing items he needs from a box during the first Food for Thought on July 25. - Photo by Grace Brown of The Sentinel-Record
I'Nita White with The Giving team helps Joe Taylor find clothing items he needs from a box during the first Food for Thought on July 25. - Photo by Grace Brown of The Sentinel-Record

The Giving Team, a local nonprofit organization, has worked tirelessly since last month's inaugural Food for Thought event in Hot Springs to make this month's event even larger.

The organization plans to hold the events on the last Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot next to the Habitat ReStore on the corner of Church and Malvern.

Today's event will feature several new elements, including SNAP enrollment assistance, free cellphones, and new partnerships with organizations.

Since last month, The Giving Team's founder, Janice Davis, said she has had several businesses and organizations reach out to offer support.

"We have shoes and backpacks that were leftover from the Samaritan's resource fair last week. Walgreens has offered to help us and we just have a lot more this time around," Davis said.

"The big thing is that we've partnered with this group who has been doing stuff in Mountain Pine called Celebrate Teachers. They have helped with the Mountain Pine food bank and some food distribution in that area. ... They (brought) us 50 gallons of milk and were really excited to come into Hot Springs."

According to Celebrate Teachers' founder Karen Sanders, the international organization is all about showing teachers how valued they are and while they started with training and support for teachers in South America, she wanted to make an impact locally, which has included helping to keep the Mountain Pine School's food bank stocked.

"I saw what (Davis) was doing. I see the opportunity that she has to reach out and she's making a difference in the community," Sanders said.

"We had a food truck come into Mountain Pine on (Friday) and (today) we are bringing some of that food to her location for Food for Thought. We've committed to coming and helping monthly as we can."

Davis said the purpose of Food for Thought is to give people in the community a bit more than just food to get them through the day. The nonprofit's goal is to meet people where they are and help them access the assistance programs available in the area, especially during a pandemic, she said.

"With a lot of these social service offices closed because of COVID, we are trying to bring the services to the people in need. The focal area for outreach is located on the east side of Hot Springs. The east side corridor is an area central to the city's public transportation hub, poverty, and violence," she said.

Each person who attends Food for Thought completes an assessment to determine their needs. After that, they are put in contact with different individuals and programs to help fill those needs. Davis said Boyce Mitchell from Ouachita Behavioral Health has helped significantly with this element of the monthly event.

"Ouachita Behavioral Health has always been a big supporter of the work The Giving Team does," Davis said.

Elmer Beard, a member of the Garland County Election Commission, was also present to assist with voter registration. Davis said her ultimate goal is to bring all the resources, like voter registration and free cellphone service, to the people in need, rather than force them to find a way to reach these places that are often scattered across the county.

Upcoming Events