Jonesboro, AR – Contributed – The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas is seeking volunteers to assist with its second annual “Harvesting Hope” event.
From 7:00 a.m. to noon on July 6-7, volunteers will harvest three acres of sweet corn in a Greene County field, with harvested crops benefiting Northeast Arkansas neighbors facing food insecurity.
The project is a collaboration between Cliff Carter Farms, the Arkansas Community Foundation, and the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. The harvested corn will be distributed through the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas’ network of partner agencies to hungry families and individuals in this area.
Funded by an “Access to Local Foods” grant from the Arkansas Community Foundation, Greene County farmer Cliff Carter planted the corn crop in coordination with the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas.
Volunteers are needed to hand-harvest the corn acreage. In 2025, the Harvesting Hope effort produced approximately 50,000 pounds of corn for hungry neighbors in the region.
“We hope to have an overwhelming response to our request for help,” said Rebecca Hendrix, chief development officer for the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. “The more hands we have, the faster we can take this corn from the field to families in need. We are thankful for the work Cliff Carter and his team have done to bring it to the point of harvest.”
Further details and a registration link can be found here.
Food, hydration, and heat-relief stations will be available on-site. However, volunteers are encouraged to adequately prepare for heat, humidity, and other challenges consistent with the rural agricultural setting.
Sponsorship opportunities are available to help offset the costs associated with this effort. Interested businesses or individuals are encouraged to contact Development Officer Chrissy Holbrook at cholbrook@foodbankofnea.org.