Rescue Mission - Seite 2

And what would a sporting event be without snacks?

"We received three large pallets of popcorn from the stadium," Meinert added. "It was a huge hit with our Boys and Girls Club and parks partners, and our warehouse smelled phenomenal!"

There are many highlights to working on sustainable food rescue from large-scale events. My favorite is knowing the harder we push and more food we can capture equates to a larger community impact.

Jon Meinert, Second Helpings' Food Rescue and Transportation director

While Second Helpings arrives post-game for pick up, they sometimes face logistical factors requiring Meinert and team to pivot.

"Like for most attendees, one of the hardest parts is accessing the venues," he explained. "Working through street closures and taking alternate routes is always a challenge that must be addressed with patience and a smile."

Meinert is continually scouting the next big opportunity.

"We're looking forward to racing season, concerts, plus all the great conventions we're fortunate to host in our amazing city," he said. "There are many highlights to working on sustainable food rescue from large-scale events. My favorite is knowing the harder we push and more food we can capture equates to a larger community impact."

Northwest Arkansas: How Does Your Garden Grow?

Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, a Feeding America affiliate, distributed 14 million pounds of food across its four-county service area in 2023 alone. That's impressive, but you haven't seen anything yet given the organization's expansion, which includes moving into a new building in June. The team is also growing its outdoor service capabilities.

Our goal is to yield 20,000 pounds of produce annually, resulting in over 300% more fruits and vegetables to share with our neighbors.

Casey Cowan, director of Client Services

"We currently have a quarter-acre garden, and we plan to expand to a full acre by 2027, with room for three acres," said Casey Cowan, director of Client Services. "Our goal is to yield 20,000 pounds of produce annually, resulting in over 300% more fruits and vegetables to share with our neighbors."

But wait, there's more.

"We're transferring our current six-by-14-foot greenhouse to our teaching garden and will purchase a 24-by-48-foot greenhouse to assist with our seed starts and planting for the new garden," added Haley Deatherage, Gardening and Nutrition manager.

Getting fresh produce into their neighbors' hands and homes has been a priority for years.

"We have a recipe of the month program with our agency partners," Deatherage said. "I highlight fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those people may not typically cook. We also do sampling events at our Feed Rogers food pantry to let people try new things and provide recipes and ingredients."