Benton County Sheriff, NWA Food Bank establish partnership

The Benton County Sheriff’s Department has become the third law enforcement agency to establish a partnership with the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank to distribute food boxes to those in need in Benton County.

Last year, the Food Bank established partnerships with the Rogers and Springdale police departments to distribute food boxes. The Washington County Sheriff’s Department is expected to be added in the near future.

Twenty-five boxes were delivered to the Sheriff’s Department on Friday, Jan. 27, that will be distributed to the patrol units for deputies to use as they see fit, said Kent Eikenberry, president and CEO of the Food Bank.

”We go on calls daily of families in need of food or other assets,” said Officer Keshia Guyll, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department. “This program is great. A lot of people don’t have access or resources to meet their needs.”

The food box partnerships with law enforcement is sponsored by Woodland Research Northwest of Rogers, a company that conducts clinical research trials.

Richard Lally, marketing manager for Woodland, said he reached out to the Food Bank because of an interest in working with the communities in Northwest Arkansas.

There is a lack of mental health resources to help the homeless and the underprivileged, said Lally. His company, which does a lot of work in the mental health field, feels the project helps those in need.

“This is a way to give back to the community,” he said.

This project has worked well for the Woodland, said Eikenberry.

Attached to every box is a list of pantries in the Northwest Arkansas area so families can seek

additional assistance. Some of the items in the box include pasta, peanut butter, jelly, spaghetti sauce, rice, beans, macaroni and cheese, canned goods, tuna helper and cereal.

The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank serves more than 150 food pantries and agencies in a four-county area – Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington.