Arkansas Schools Get New Resource to Fight Food Insecurity

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, alongside the Arkansas Department of Education and Department of Agriculture, unveiled a new School Food Pantry Toolkit designed to help school districts create food pantries on campus and reduce food waste.

Developed by the Governor’s Faith-Based Initiatives office, this toolkit provides step-by-step guidance, quick tips, and additional resources to assist schools in setting up and managing pantries that serve students and families in need.

“Combatting childhood hunger is a top priority for my administration,” said Governor Sanders. “This toolkit helps Arkansans make a difference in their own communities.”

The initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure that all Arkansas children have access to nutritious meals, both at school and at home. Arkansas Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva praised the toolkit as a way to support students’ overall well-being, while Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward highlighted the importance of connecting the state’s agricultural resources with community needs.

The toolkit builds on several recent measures aimed at fighting hunger. Earlier this year, Governor Sanders signed the Good Neighbor Act, which expands liability protections for food donors, and SB59, which requires every public school in Arkansas to offer one free breakfast per day to all students, making Arkansas the first Southern state to do so.

Additional efforts include covering lunch costs for reduced-price meal students and continuing the state’s Summer EBT program.

The School Food Pantry Toolkit is available to school districts statewide and serves as part of the Governor’s broader Faith-Based Initiatives, which aim to engage faith communities in tackling major issues such as food insecurity, foster care, and maternal health.

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