Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – In a community-wide effort to keep local students fed outside of school hours, the Rotary Club of Jonesboro has partnered with the one of its Interact Clubs at Valley View High School for a month-long food drive.

The September service project is being done to help Valley View’s backpack program, in which backpacks are sent home on weekends to help students and parents get through the weekend. Every donation helps ensure these students are able to eat meals normally provided through the week by the school.

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The Rotary Club is looking for ravioli, popcorn, ramen noodles, Nutri-Grain bars, individual bags of chips, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, and pudding cups or Jell-O. Anyone who wants to donate can drop off items during the Rotary Club’s weekly Tuesday noon meetings at St. Bernards Auditorium through Sept. 29.

The drive comes as food security is at an all-time high in Arkansas. A U.S. Department of Agriculture study showed that between 2022 to 2024, the state’s estimated prevalence rate of food insecurity was 19.4% compared to North Dakota’s 9%, the lowest in the nation.

Rotary President for 6150 Skip Smith supports Buie’s goal and asks for everyone’s help in their mission.

“It’s a bigger issue than we think, students go hungry so we do anything we can to help, I think it’s a great cause,” Smith said. “Jonesboro is a thriving community. I think it surprises people that others don’t have the food they need.”

The Rotary Club’s effort is part of a larger community response to food insecurity.

Domino’s partnered with the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas on Sept. 15 to donate 15% of the day’s sales to the cause. Since the Rotary Club caters its weekly meetings, members specifically chose to order their lunch from Domino’s that Tuesday to ensure a portion of their purchase contributed to the donation.

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