11 Oct 2011 Soul Food Cafe Mission receives community foundation grant

The Arkansas Community Foundation (ARCF)/Faulkner County presented a $2,500 grant – proceeds from a hunger endowment – Monday to Soul Food Café Mission.

The money will be used to purchase food distributed through the ministry, which has a new home at Second Baptist Church in Downtown Conway.

Some of the money in the endowment fund was generated through the “Step up to the Plate” hunger initiative organized by 501 LIFE and the Faulkner County community foundation.

This will be the third year for the campaign, which is scheduled Monday, Oct. 31, through Friday, Nov. 11. During those two weeks, schoolchildren will once again collect money to support the permanent endowment fund to provide financial resources to assist Faulkner County agencies that provide hunger relief.

In addition, non-perishable food items will be collected for donation to the Bethlehem House homeless shelter.

Each team that collects a minimum of 500 food items and $500 will have their photograph published in 501 LIFE. There will also be special coverage of the team that collects the most money and canned food based on student enrollment.

Last year, Ruth Doyle Intermediate collected the most and was featured.

Julie LaRue, executive director of the Faulkner County office of the Arkansas Community Foundation, approached 501 regarding a special hunger initiative and the endowment fund. "It is heartbreaking to learn how many of our neighbors struggle with hunger every day, right here in our community; with recent changes in our economy, hunger relief agencies have reported a significant increase in the number of people seeking assistance,” said LaRue. “The beauty of an endowment fund is that it will provide income to hunger relief agencies each and every year, forever.”

The community is invited to donate to the hunger endowment. Gifts can be sent to ARCF/Faulkner County, 1301 N. Museum Road, Conway 72032. Checks should be made payable to Faulkner County Hunger Endowment.

For more information on the “Step up” project, please call 501.327.1501 or email [email protected].