Becoming an Allied Agency can be Quick and Easy

Barbara Carter: NWA Food Bank Agency Relations Coordinator.

NWA Food Bank: The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank serves a broad spectrum of allied agencies across the four-county area of Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties.

It’s not hard to become an allied agency at the Food Bank, said Barbara Carter, agency relations coordinator. The most important thing is that the agency has to have a 501 (c) (3) designation. If the agency is a church, it can have a church qualifier. “If they have that, we can get them set up as an agency in a week,” Carter said. The agency also will have to fill out an application and have an inspection of its food storage area.

Once the application is approved, the agency’s personnel are given a tour of the Food Bank and trained in the online food ordering process.

“Then they are good to go,” she said. However, it’s entirely up to the agency how fast they want to go in the process.

The more than 150 agencies who use the Food Bank include food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and preschools, said Carter. They come in every size from a closet to an agency that has a large facility.“But everyone is important, no matter what the size,” she said.

Carter handles the applications, which can be emailed to the prospective agency or potential partners can stop by the Food Bank’s offices at 1378 June Self Drive in Bethel Heights. Also Carter can be reached at 479-872-8774 or by email at barbara.carter@nwafoodbank.org.

After the application is turned in, Gerald Demory, director of operations, will inspect and oversee the agency and its relationship with the Food Bank to make sure they are in compliance with Feeding America guidelines.Once the food order is placed online, it is scheduled for pickup, she said. After the pantry is operational, it can come to the Food Bank once a week or once a month, depending on its needs.

While most of the agencies have been with the Food Bank for a long time, it is still seeking new places that can help those in need, she said.“We’re always looking for new agencies and helping people get started,” Carter said. “We would like to see more partners. We have a need right now for more partners in Washington County and rural areas the Food Bank serves.”