written by Kathy Bracke, Christ of the Hills UMC office administrator
According to the USDA, Arkansas ranks first in the nation for food insecurity, with 1 in 4 children in Arkansas at risk of going hungry. The need for volunteers to donate time and effort to help families facing hunger is great.
For over 15 years, Christ of the Hills (COH) United Methodist Men had teams that regularly went to the Arkansas Food Bank in Little Rock to package and sort food items, but the pandemic halted this mission opportunity.
With the pandemic and the lower volunteer response, as 2024 began, the COH tradition of fighting hunger seemed to be coming to an end. That is, until COH member Mary Hobgood, a strong advocate for the underserved, answered the call to become the leader of the Arkansas Food Bank team. Mary designated two days of morning shift service monthly, the first Tuesday and the third Thursday of each month. As Mary and her husband, Tim, enjoy traveling, Rebecca Schulte agreed to be an additional contact person when Mary was away. Both Mary and Rebecca feel strongly about connecting with Arkansans in need of food and hope.
The volunteer group serving at the Arkansas Food Bank is made up of men and women who all have different skill levels. While there is a core group of workers, it is not unusual for members to join in as their time allows and even bring along friends to volunteer. The group from COH quickly built relationships with the staff at the Arkansas Food Bank, even supporting fundraising efforts in Hot Springs Village. The volunteer group has grown from 3-4 people to an average of 10-12 volunteers each workday.
The COH volunteers were amazed and delighted to be named the 2024 Community Champions by the Arkansas Food Bank. It’s no surprise since these workers are always willing to engage in whatever the Food Bank has planned for the day, whether it is weighing and sacking potatoes, building boxes of food for seniors, or packaging cereal. When the COH volunteers are working at the Arkansas Food Bank, you can expect singing, dancing, and a good day for all.
The volunteer group from COH is always open to new helpers. A variety of activities await the volunteers that can engage at any fitness level. All are encouraged to participate when they can; they do not need to serve at every opportunity. Thank you, Mary and Rebecca, for leading this vital ministry. For more information, please phone the church at 501-922-4503 or email cothumc@cohumc.com.
Christ of the Hills is honored to receive this recognition as it fulfills its part of their mission statement of “Bring In, Build Up, Reach Out” to help those in need.
Learn more about Christ of the Hills UMC.
Learn more about the Arkansas Food Bank.
Learn more about 200,000 More Reasons, an ARUMC initiative focused on fighting childhood hunger, providing literacy support, and ministries to the adults in the lives of food insecure children that promote a healthy and stable family life.
