UA Cossatot’s Center for Student Success recently received a $2,500.00 Capacity Building Grant from the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. The grant will aid the Center for Student Success’s food pantries located on three of their four campuses in Sevier, Howard, and Little River county. 

“Food insecurity on college campuses all across America is a growing problem, and within the Center for Student Success, we want to do all that we can to alleviate hunger locally. We want students to come to college and focus solely on their academics and not where their next meal may come from,” said Erika Buenrrostro, Director of Student Success and Enrichment. 

This year, 131 organizations across the state were awarded a total of $188,827. Funds are allocated from the State Food Purchasing Program and have been administered by the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance since 2009, when the Governor and the Arkansas General Assembly awarded the funds. Grants are used solely to help expand or improve a local hunger relief organization’s physical ability to serve its community. These funds cannot be used to pay salaries, operational expenses, or purchase food. 

“It’s important that member pantries, food banks, shelters, and others who serve hungry Arkansans receive this support. These grants are used to purchase useful items that increase the grantee’s ability to feed the community,” said Kathy Webb, CEO of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. “It’s always surprising how one cooler or an extra stove or a deep freezer can help an organization further their mission to fight hunger.”

Qualifying member organizations include food pantries, food rescue organizations, soup kitchens, shelters, and other organizations that directly serve Arkansas families by providing food prepared on-site or for use at home. Some items purchased with these grants include kitchen appliances, storage solutions, meal preparation items, and office equipment.

For more information, contact Erika Buenrrostro at 870-584-1133 or ebuenrrostro@cccua.edu.