Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced on Friday that she is directing $500,000 to six food bank networks across Arkansas and will consider additional allocations on a weekly basis should the shutdown continue.
Her office announced that the HelpArkansas.com page will direct Arkansans to food assistance resources throughout the state and will be updated.
“What Senate Democrats are doing is unconscionable, playing political games with the food assistance that nearly a quarter million Arkansans rely on,” she said in a press release. “The simplest, fastest solution remains for Democrats to reopen the government and fund programs like SNAP, but in the meantime, my administration will work with our legislators, churches, and food banks to help feed Arkansans.”
On Thursday, Sanders secured emergency action from the Arkansas Legislative Council chairs to direct $500,000 in Restricted Reserve funds to food banks starting Nov. 3. Should the shutdown continue past next week, she will consider additional, weekly allocations to those food banks, her office said.
Six Arkansas food bank networks will receive equal portions of the funds:
- Northwest Arkansas Food Bank at Springdale
- Food Bank of North Central Arkansas at Norfork
- Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas at Jonesboro
- River Valley Regional Food Bank at Fort Smith
- Arkansas Foodbank at Little Rock
- Arkansas Foodbank Lexa Branch
- Arkansas Foodbank Warren Branch
- Harvest Regional Food Bank at Texarkana
Arkansas’ SNAP program serves nearly a quarter of a million beneficiaries at more than 2,700 retail locations.
Photo Credit: iStock
READ ALSO: College GameDay’s Rece Davis Makes Pitch for Battle of the Ravine
