North Little Rock e-Newsletter Provided by Diane Whitbey, City Clerk and Treasurer
April 2025
Food Pantries and Community Gardens in North Little Rock
Last month, Neighborhood Services Director Dan Scott provided a presentation to City Department Heads regarding food pantries and community gardens in our city. Below are some of the highlights from his presentation: 15% of people in Pulaski County experience food insecurity each year. 25% of children in Pulaski County live in poverty. According to the Department of Agriculture, Arkansas leads the nation in food insecurity (having limited or uncertain access to adequate food). Large portions of North Little Rock are considered Food Deserts—people live more than one (1) mile away from a source of fresh nutritious food. 6-5% or 1,951 households had someone go hungry so other family members could eat. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) Benefits are asset-based which can prohibit someone from qualifying for aid. Example: owning more than one (1) vehicle may disqualify a family from getting SNAP. SNAP’s website shows two (2) examples of families qualified for benefits. The first shows a family of three (3) qualifying for $581 per month or $2.12 per meal. On days the children get a free breakfast and lunch at school they still cannot afford a six (6) piece Happy Meal from McDonald’s for dinner. The second is a family of four (4) qualified for $621 per month or $1.70 per meal which is less than a taco from Taco Bell. Healthy options like salads cost more. How can the city help? Our Community Development agency has some resources: Some Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) historically have gone to CareLink to help pay for Meals on Wheels. The average recipient is an 83 year old female living alone who uses a walker or cane, needs help with chores, and is below the poverty level. Recipients received five (5) meals a week delivered to them. Arkansas is 5th in the Nation in elderly residents experiencing hunger. 508 North Little Rock residents receive assistance from Meals on Wheels with more than 300 qualifying as low income. The City of North Little Rock allocated $25,000 to the Arkansas Food Bank. Those funds are used to provide food in 17 Food Pantries across our city. Each will receive $1,470 for the year. Food pantries are open at different times and days. Some serve only North Little Rock residents. Gardner Memorial Methodist Church provides enough food for four (4) days and limits people to one visit every 28 days. Potluck The City Council allocated $15,000 to Potluck Inc. which is a food rescue organization that collects food that would go to waste from restaurants and stores and then delivers the same to shelters and agencies which help the needy.
North Little Rock Community Garden Overview
There are 19 gardens (within our city limits) supported by the garden program. Gardens are located in Wards 1, 2 and 3. The garden program offers funding to both new and existing gardens. Garden staff provide technical assistance, free soil, compost and mulch, plants and seeds; and help with the construction. In the past the program has not done the gardening, although they have helped with work days. Last year, the Baring Cross Garden produced more than 6,000 pounds of fresh produce; all of which stayed in the Baring Cross neighborhood. Little Free Food Pantry Boxes The Community Garden program partnered with the Arkansas DemocratGazette and the community to paint and install free food boxes are various locations across the city. Partners are responsible for keeping the boxes stocked. Many of us have been getting our gardens ready for planting. If you want to help with food insecurity in our city consider volunteering either at a food bank or community garden. We can make a difference! “Where’s Mel”? Be the first person to call 501-975-8617 and tell us where you found Mel hiding and win!
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