Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – A food drive benefiting the backpack and food pantry programs at Nettleton High School (NHS) is set for this Saturday in Jonesboro.

The food drive is co-organized by community member Jayne Schack and NHS social worker Amy Reed, who wanted to focus on food insecurity affecting high school students. All donations, which can include food, clothing, and hygiene items, will benefit these programs, of which Reed said around 60 NHS students use.

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“I think a lot of people, not anyone’s fault or anything, kind of forget that the older kids also have food insecurities, just like the younger kids,” Reed said. “We think of them being older that they have maybe a means of transportation, they have jobs.”

“We have lots of students who have food insecurity, and I think it’s more challenging for older kids to reach out or seek help,” she added. “We want to make sure that we have our food pantry stocked all year long with whatever our kids need.”

Items that can be donated include:

  • Microwavable mac and cheese
  • Goldfish crackers
  • Fruit snacks
  • Juice boxes
  • Spaghetti-O’s
  • Dried Fruit
  • Beef jerky
  • Cereal bars
  • Canned ravioli
  • Raisins
  • Ramen noodles
  • Leggings (preferably black)
  • Undergarments
  • Socks
  • Shirts
  • Joggers
  • Hoodies
  • Personal hygiene items (toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, deodorant, etc)

Reed requested no donations of any nut-based products, such as peanut butter, to accommodate for any allergies.

Hunger affects all 75 Arkansas counties, with 639,490 people struggling with food insecurity, according to Feeding America. In Craighead County, 20% of people struggle with food insecurity, out of a county-wide population of 111,231, according to a 2025 study from the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance.

“I feel that we are the Natural State, and our biggest natural resource is our kids, and we need to help our kids get a good start in life,” Schack said. “We need to have a good education and they need to have nutritious food. That’s the least we could do to help our nation get a good start in their adult life.”

The food drive is set for Saturday, Oct. 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with donations to be made at Bill’s Cost Plus Supermarket, located at 200 E. Johnson Ave.

For more information about food insecurity, or to see food pantries near you, click here.

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