Letter From Kent

Today I had one of the coolest experiences since taking over here at the Food Bank. I spent a most delightful hour and a half with June Self, the founder of the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. I hope when I retire, I still have as much fire and passion for the Food Bank as Ms. Self does. Listening to her stories of the struggles that came from the early days make the issues we are dealing with today seem trivial. Picking up food in her car, graduating to a pickup then to a small box truck, she WAS the Food Bank. She shared photos, newspaper clippings, letters, and recalled some of her early board members and the partnerships she forged. She was even able to work in a few “have you called so and so yet for their donations.” Trust me when I say, I will be making a call on those businesses soon. Our (Jordan Gershon and I) visit with Ms. Self was part of a history of the Food Bank that Jordan is working on for us as we approach the 30th Anniversary of the Food Bank. My parting words to Ms. Self was that she had not seen the last of me and I looked forward to her continued support and mentoring.

Last weekend Diana and I met my sister and brother in law in Dallas. As part of our trip we attended the 6th Floor Museum. My big purchase for the weekend was a new coffee cup for my desk. Let me quote what it says, “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” I don’t know in what context President Kennedy offered this statement, but I hope to use my new cup to motivate me into making a difference in the lives of the food insecure of Northwest Arkansas.

This is the first May since 1960 at least one member of the Eikenberry household was not looking forward to the end of school. After all those years of school, and all those years of Diana teaching, “school's out for summer” was a common battle cry. Today, I look at summer vacation differently. I think about the thousands of children who are food insecure and don’t have the safety net of the school lunch program for nourishment. There are several groups with whom we are working to address this need but we need your help. Your donation to the food bank during the summer helps us put food in the hands of those who need it the most. One hungry child is one too many.

Contrary to what the national news media claims, newspapers are not dead. On Sunday, May 7, I was honored to be the person profiled in the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. It was a great opportunity to share why I do what I do every day and how our mission drives the decisions I make. Based on the number of people who have commented on seeing it, the NWADG has a strong readership base.

In closing, as I nearly always do, please allow me to thank each and every one of you for your continued support. Whether you support us financially, by donating non-perishable food products, volunteering, or just sharing the story of how the Food Bank impacts peoples’ lives, I thank you. We cannot do what we do without you.