New Members of the Food Bank Team

2016 has brought a year of change for the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.

The Food Bank is currently experiencing significant growth in just a short amount of time. For the first time in NWAFB history, 1 million pounds of food were distributed in ONE MONTH. The Food Bank is not only growing in distribution, but also in number of agencies, volunteers and partners. The NWAFB is excited to grow, however, this development is a result of an increase in need in our area, thus bittersweet. In addition to our new President/CEO, Kent Eikenberry, in January, the NWA Food Bank has added a couple of new staff members in April to match this growth and continue to serve the hungry in Northwest Arkansas.

Barbara Carter, who came on board at the Food Bank on April 18th, is our new Agency Relations Coordinator. Her duties will be to work directly with the Food Bank agencies to determine their unmet needs and ensure an effective and efficient partner agency program that can provide food to the hungry. During her first week at the Food Bank, Barbara was able to meet many of our agencies and begin the process of establishing relationships with each one in order to better serve them and, as an extension, allow the Food Bank to better serve those who are food insecure.

Austin Harms, who began with the Food Bank on April 11th, is our new Community Outreach Coordinator. Austin will be working with the community to increase the number of volunteers, increase the number of distribution sites for our Senior Mobile Pantry program and establish a better relationship with the community in Northwest Arkansas. Austin has joined the team in the midst of a move of our volunteer program to our new Volunteer Center. In addition to the move, the NWA Food Bank is developing new volunteer opportunities to include packing senior hunger boxes, sorting food and assisting with direct mail.

The NWA Food Bank is excited to welcome both Barbara and Austin to the team!