Food distribution started, ended early

By Staff, 05/29/20 11:28 AM

PRESCOTT – Three hundred boxes of food were handed out in record time Friday morning as part of the Central Arkansas Development Council’s (CADC) food distribution program.

The event was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., but Hwy. 67 was lined with people in their vehicles by 7 a.m. The decision was made to let people in and start handing out food around 8:30. From there, it didn’t take long for all the food to be given away. Unfortunately, those who arrived around 10 were left without anything.

Todd Anderson, with the CADCs Benton office, said the boxes weighed 50-60 pounds each and were filled with commodities, frozen meats and vegetables, along with potatoes, peanut butter, toilet paper and paper towels. He said this is the last food distribution program the CADC will have as Nevada County was the final of 19 held in the CADC’s coverage area in Southwest Arkansas. Anderson added the CADC may do something similar in the future, but no plans are in place at this time.

It was first come, first served, Anderson said, adding the event received a lot of help from the community as more than 50 people showed up Thursday and Friday to help box and hand out te food.

Randy Morris, CEO of the CADC, said the CADC is considering doing something similar in November, but a different format will be used. This event, he added, was partly funded from a grant and emergency COVID-19 funding. He said the CADC talked with its team and mayors in the coverage area and learned the biggest need at this time was food. Thus, a food distribution program was born.

Sysco Foods donated the refrigerator trucks and helped the CADC get a good price on some of the groceries. Some also came from the Arkansas Food Bank in Little Rock.