09.23.2009 -  Arkansas Community Foundation’s local affiliate offices are stepping up to a challenge to help stop hunger in Arkansas by building endowments that benefit local hunger relief efforts.

Each of ARCF’s 27 local affiliate offices has until December 31, 2009 to raise $10,000 for a Stop Hunger Endowment for its community.  Those who meet their goal will receive an additional $3,333 or more for their endowment from an anonymous donor.

Craighead County Community Foundation has already announced that it will participate, and others will be announced soon. Click here to make an online contribution to the Stop Hunger Endowment for Craighead County. These endowments will provide a permanent source of funding that will enable these local offices to make grants to help stop hunger in their communities.  



The challenge, issued by an anonymous ARCF donor, is a response to ARCF’s Community Giving Stimulus Program in December 2008. Through the program, ARCF challenged individuals across the state to make online donations to the hunger relief charities of their choice through the ARCF website; ARCF matched every $2 donated with an additional dollar. In a single week, Arkansans worked through the Foundation to raise over $300,000 for hunger relief.

In addition, ARCF has also targeted the issue of hunger through recent grants. The Giving Tree grant program is a twice-yearly competitive process through which nonprofits, hospitals, schools and government agencies can apply for support from ARCF’s central office or local offices. In Spring 2009, all of ARCF’s Giving Tree grants from the central office were focused on hunger relief.

Grants included
•  Funding for a 10-palette freezer/cooler unit for Arkansas Foodbank Network’s distribution center in Warren
•  Support for an urban gardening education program led by Arkansas Sustainability Network
•  Scholarships for individuals to attend the Arkansas Farm to School Conference hosted by Heifer International.

Many of ARCF’s local affiliate offices also made grants to support hunger relief through their own Giving Tree grant cycles.

Through these grants and the establishment of permanent endowments to help stop hunger, Arkansas Community Foundation and its local affiliate offices are working to help meet an immediate need in our state, as well as provide a permanent source of funding for hunger relief.