Honors Arkansas and the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance hosted the first statewide college hunger summit on Thursday, April 14, at the Heifer International Pavilion in Little Rock. The purpose of the summit was to raise awareness in the fight against college hunger. Over 150 students, teachers and community leaders were in attendance with 30 colleges and universities represented; 24 schools received a $1,000 grant check and one-year membership in the Alliance. You can watch the morning session, which was broadcast live on Facebook. The afternoon session was livestreamed via YouTube and Facebook. The event was sponsored by the Garcia Family Arkansas Fund, a component fund of the Arkansas Community Foundation.
From the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 15, 2022.
Click photo to watch the KATV story, aired April 14, 2022.
The morning session kicked off with a welcome from our CEO Kathy Webb, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott, and Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin. Other legislators in attendance were Representatives Nicole Clowney, Megan Godfrey, and Delia Haak. In the first panel, students presented the results of a campus survey on food insecurity and shared their personal stories. After lunch, the second student panel explored the ways some campuses are responding to college hunger.
In the afternoon, members of the Arkansas State Legislature, including Rep. Tippi McCullough, Sen. Joyce Elliot, Rep. DeAnn Vaught, Sen. Clarke Tucker, and Rep. Les Warren, participated in the public policy panel and answered student questions.
The day wrapped up with a $1,000 grant check presentation to the following school food pantries:
- Arkansas State University
- Arkansas State University Mountain Home
- East Arkansas Community College
- Henderson State University
- UA Pine Bluff
- John Brown University
- National Park College
- NWACC Foundation
- North Arkansas College
- Philander Smith College
- Phillips Community College
- South Arkansas University
- SAU TECH
- South Arkansas Community College
- University of Central Arkansas
- UA Cossatot
- UA Community College at Batesville
- UA Little Rock
- UA Fort Smith
- UA Fayetteville
- Arkansas State University Beebe
- Arkansas Northeastern College
- Southeast Arkansas College
- Arkansas State University Three Rivers
Pictured: Temeka Williams with Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance; representatives from UA Cossatot and Rep. DeAnn Vaught.