Arvest Million Meals campaign surpasses halfway point

YELLVILLE, — Arvest Bank announced on April 5 the beginning of its 11 annual Million Meals campaign, which challenges bank associates, customers and community members to fight hunger in the more than 135 communities the bank serves by providing one million meals or more to those in need. Today, the bank announced the campaign has exceeded 500,000 meals, or half its goal.

“It’s a great feeling to be back to a more normal way of conducting our Million Meals campaign and to announce we have raised more than half our goal so far,” Jaren Beavers, marketing manager of Arvest Bank North Central Arkansas, said. “We thank everyone who has donated to and supported the campaign so far. Every single donation helps. Now we look forward to reaching one million meals and beyond.”

Arvest proactively provided one million meals to its food partners in the form of direct monetary donations in 2020 after suspending some aspects of its campaign to protect participants from the spread of COVID-19.

This year, Arvest is accepting monetary donations at its branches and drive-thrus and via the Arvest Go mobile app. Arvest Flex Rewards credit cardholders can log in to arvestflexrewards.com to redeem and donate rewards points. Arvest is unable to accept food donations this year. Every dollar raised through Million Meals provides the equivalent of five meals for local, hungry families.

These efforts will continue through May 29. The funds raised will then be donated to local organizations in the communities Arvest serves in time for summer, when many schoolchildren do not have access to meals they ordinarily receive at school, and when many of the bank’s food partners face fundraising challenges.

Locally, Arvest North Central Arkansas has partnered with the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas, Good Neighbor Food Cupboard and Yellville Area Food Closet. Each organization will receive all the monetary donations collected in Baxter, Boone and Marion County respectively.