Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – For the next month, three Jonesboro city departments will engage in a friendly competition, all to make sure children are fed in the area.
The City of Jonesboro will be holding a Food Drive Face-Off from Nov. 14 to Dec. 12, according to a Facebook post. Multiple departments will be going head-to-head to see who can collect the most non-perishable food items, all for backpack programs supporting 739 children in the city.
Lynette Hirsch, marketing and outreach coordinator for the city said, with many children relying on their schools to feed them, two holiday breaks approaching, SNAP benefits uncertain and food banks losing funding, they want to make sure needs are met.
“We care, and so this is a passion project. Making it a friendly conflict competition helps keep that holiday cheer,” Hirsch said.
The Jonesboro Police Department, Jonesboro Fire Department, and city hall will be working on raising goods for the backpack programs while competing to see who can raise the most goods. Whichever department comes out on top will earn a trophy.
JRN asked each department why they think they will be one to take the trophy.
“There’s a lot of us that are very, very passionate about serving our community, especially when it comes to children,” Hirsch said. “Those of us who work for the city, we are on the front lines of what’s going on within Jonesboro. When we see those needs, we want to be quick to answer that, and then bring along whoever we can to help in doing that.”
“I think that we have a lot of officers that really care,” JPD officer Sadie Holmes said. “We have a good group that, typically, will come together in times like this, when the community needs help, and we see that. I think that the police department will band together, and hopefully we should get lots of donations.”
“I mean, the easy answer is that everybody likes firemen. There’s no arguing with that,” JFD fire chief Marty Hamrick said of which department he thinks will receive the most donations. “Our goal is to protect the public, and this is just one way we can do that, making sure folks have something to eat.”
However, at the end of the day, each department feels this will be a fun time for a great cause.
“The bragging rights are nothing compared to knowing we can help children and help the members of our community. But, to be able to tease each other about it, that adds camaraderie between us,” Hirsch said.
“We have a tight knit group of people, and they seem to come together in moments like this and when they know that somebody needs help, or our kids need help, whatever it is, our community shows up and they show out,” Holmes said.
“We all work together for the benefit of the city as a whole, whether that’s addressing issues like food insecurities, [we’re] providing the best services we possibly can to make things better for the citizens,” Hamrick said.
A drive-thru kickoff event for the drive will be held from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 14 at the city hall at 300 South Church Street. People will be able to drive through the parking lot and give volunteers their goods.
“We hope that it’s a good time for those who are on their lunch break [or] maybe right before picking up kids from school,” Hirsch said. “Maybe they’re going to run some errands, and they can pick up some canned goods on their way.”
Those who want to participate can drop off donations and cast a vote for their favorite team at the following locations until Dec. 12:
- City Hall – 300 South Church Street
- Jonesboro Police Department – 1001 South Caraway Road
- Fire Station 1 – 3215 East Johnson Avenue
- Fire Station 2 – 1413 West Nettleton Avenue
- Fire Station 3 – 2212 Brazos Street
- JET Transfer Station – 713 South Caraway Road
In another Facebook post, the city suggested several non-perishable items for donation including:
- Applesauce
- Beef jerky
- Canned beans, chicken, chili, fish, fruit, soups, and vegetables
- Cereal and crackers
- Evaporated milk
- Grits and granola bars
- Instant mashed potatoes
- Jarred pasta sauce and pasta noodles
- Oatmeal
- Peanut butter and protein bars
- Ramen noodles
- Rice
- Shells and cheese
- Trail mix
Hirsch said there will be a drive-thru event held on the last day of donations at the city hall. It will also be from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. She added that JET bus riders can donate canned goods in lieu of fare every Friday and Saturday between Nov. 14 and Dec. 12 to support the drive.
