Hope Outreach Food Pantry

HOPE OUTREACH FOOD PANTRY

Point Cedar’s Oasis in a Food Desert Celebrates its 5th Year!

Text By Denise White Parkinson

Arkansas cities too often contain “food deserts” – neighborhoods where grocery stores close down, leaving inner-city residents to face daily challenges. But what about the state’s rural food deserts? For far-flung residents of the scenic hills around Point Cedar, Arkansas, the challenge is real: no grocery stores within a 30-minute drive, period. Hope Outreach Food Pantry grew out of a need to serve struggling families, and 2019 marks five years of success.

“We began with a shelf of groceries in Hope Outreach Thrift Store,” says Linda Jordan, cofounder of the project with husband Tim Jordan, longtime pastor of New Beginnings Outreach. From a single shelf the project expanded to a

400-square-foot storeroom. Folks came from miles around, some walking for hours to get there. When the Jordans met Hot Springs philanthropist Dorothy Morris at a nonprofit event, they shared their vision of a community center-style modern facility. After a whirlwind fundraising campaign led by the Morris and Munro foundations, construction began on the 4,000-square-foot building in Point Cedar.

The all-out effort included a half-dozen church congregations from Bismarck to Amity and beyond. Folks cut trees and milled their own lumber, installing handsome plank-wood paneling that frames a poured concrete floor. They created light fixtures by repurposing antique wagon wheels and vintage red

lanterns (cool chandeliers), plus Mason jars and heavy-grade rope (rustic pendant lights). Hunters donated trophies for the fireplace mantel in the spacious “Point Cedar Room,” which seats 150 people. The Arkansas Food Bank and Hunger Relief Alliance donated refrigerated storage; a Sturgis Foundation grant provided a nifty forklift.

“We feed 200 families per month,” says Linda as we tour the hilltop grounds located just off the junction of Arkansas highways 84 and 347. Folks within an 11-mile radius travel from Garland, Hot Spring, Montgomery, Pike and Clark counties. From 9 a.m. til Noon every second Thursday and third Saturday, volunteers distribute groceries. Every fourth Sunday, the pantry opens from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. for families who drop by after church. “Thanks to our executive director, Glen Shuffield, we offer a Summer Feeding Program,” Linda says proudly.

The Food Pantry’s green hill is also home to a ½-acre Community Garden and a large greenhouse, constructed by Team Hope thanks to a grant from Arkansas’ Blue & You Foundation. “We also use hydroponics and raised beds,” explains Linda. To see the amazing fool-proof methods Team Hope uses, Google “Mittleider Method” and “Kratkey Hydroponic Method.” Fresh produce—peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, okra, squash and much more—is available in season. “Glen uses leftover produce to make delicious green smoothies, so nothing is wasted!” adds Linda.

Hope Outreach Food Pantry celebrates its 5th growing season June 15th with an annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser. Volunteers are always welcome—message Team Hope online via Facebook at Hope Outreach Food Pantry and follow for inspiring updates. Tax-deductible donations can be mailed to New Beginnings Outreach (with “Food Pantry” in the memo line), P.O. Box 426 Bismarck, AR 71929. “We also rent the space for weddings, showers, birthday parties, memorials,” says Linda, adding, “Our building is debt-free!”

The next phase for Team Hope is constructing a wraparound covered porch to keep the rain off clients and staff. I can already picture a row of locally made rocking chairs lining the veranda. Happy Birthday, Hope Outreach Food Pantry! ∞