Arvest Bank releases the results of the annual Million Meals Campaign for 2024.

According to a release from Arvest, this year's campaign raised $29,686.37 which comes out to 148,431 meals that benefitted the Food Bank of Northwest Arkansas. 

For the past 14 years, the Million Meals campaign through Arvest Bank has raised awareness and money to combat food insecurity with the money going to feed up to five meals for local families with the campaign running through April and May.

Funds raised in Boone County are benefiting the Harrison Mobile Food Pantry which serves more than 100 families each month according to the release. 

Harrison's Original KHOZ 949 and New Country 1029 once again supported the Million Meals effort this year in support of the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas. Those efforts included a Live Radio Broadcast by Lisa Johnson on New Country from a donation site on Highway 65 and Rock Spring Road in Harrison as well as the donation of advertising time on both stations. 

A video of  the Radio Broadcast can be found on the New Country 1029 Facebook Page while the complete release from Arvest Bank is below:

Arvest is pleased to announce the bank’s 14th annual Million Meals campaign raised $29,686.37 to help provide the equivalent of 148,431 meals to benefit the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas. Funds raised in Boone County will benefit the Harrison Mobile Food Pantry which serves more than 100 families each month and Boone County food pantries that the Food Bank currently serves.

Each year, the Million Meals campaign raises money to feed local communities across Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri while also raising awareness about food insecurity. Every dollar raised through the campaign provides up to five meals for local, hungry families. 

Monetary donations collected during the two-month-long campaign were given directly to food partners to help stock pantries during the busy summer months. Bank-wide, the campaign provided more than 2.6 million meals by donating $524,451 to 85 food partners.

“We are very proud to once again see our community come together to support our neighbors in need,” said Scott Copeland, Regional President-North Arkansas. “Our fight against hunger isn’t just about filling empty stomachs but about nourishing communities and empowering individuals. We are very grateful to our customers, community members and associates for their continued support of such an important initiative.”

The Million Meals campaign takes place annually from April through May to help food partners meet the increased need during the summer months when many children don’t have the benefit of free meals at their schools. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Arkansas ranked 1st among the most food-insecure states in the nation based on average rates from 2020-2022. 

Donations were collected at Arvest Bank branches, online, on the Arvest Go mobile app and by telephone. Since the hunger initiative began in 2011, the Million Meals campaign has provided more than 25 million meals and collected more than $4.6 million in donations. Last year, the campaign raised 2.29 million meals through monetary donations made directly to the bank’s local food partners. 

For more information about Million Meals and local food partners, visit arvest.com/millionmeals.