Listening Led to Innovation

Rather than assuming they had all the answers, Arkansas Foodbank asked more questions. They met with school administrators, surveyed families, listened to community partners, and paid attention to what people were telling them.

“We know there may be four children in a household, but only one is going home with food,” said Alexander. “That made us ask, how can we do this better?”

The result was the launch of the organization’s School Market Pilot Program.

Over the past year, Arkansas Foodbank has successfully transitioned five school districts into School Markets, with a long-term goal of supporting 30 school-based markets by 2030. Unlike traditional backpack programs, School Markets operate similarly to small grocery stores inside schools. These make it possible to offer fresh produce, dairy products, proteins, whole grains, and ingredients for complete family meals, while also creating opportunities for nutrition education, cooking demonstrations, and recipe sharing within the community. Students and families can shop for the foods they need, select items their households will use, and access resources that promote long-term health and self-sufficiency.

“It allows us to serve entire families, not just one child,” Alexander explained.

What Happens When Communities Have Choices

One of the themes that surfaced repeatedly during our conversation with Arkansas Foodbank was the importance of choice. Historically, hunger relief programs often distributed pre-packed food boxes based on availability. The School Market model takes a different approach. Families get to choose foods that reflect their preferences, dietary needs, cultural traditions, and cooking abilities. That seemingly small shift creates meaningful change.

“We can give someone 500 pounds of food,” said Alexander. “But if they can only use one pound of it, we’ve wasted the rest.”

Choice reduces food waste; it improves dignity, and it increases the likelihood that families will consume the food they’re receiving. The impact extends far beyond the pantry shelves.

Arkansas Foodbank has heard stories of families sharing recipes with one another inside school markets. Parents exchange cooking tips. Community members contributing produce from their own gardens back into the program. Schools host cooking demonstrations and nutrition education sessions to help families make the most, out of available resources. The market has become more than a food distribution site. It becomes a community hub.

Lessons for Other Food Banks

One of the most impressive aspects of Arkansas Foodbank’s approach is that their success isn’t driven by a single program. It’s driven by a willingness to constantly evaluate what’s working, listen to communities, and adapt.

Several key takeaways emerged during our conversation that other hunger-relief organizations may find valuable:

Listen First, Build Second

Every major innovation Arkansas Foodbank has implemented began with conversations. Schools, families, community partners, volunteers, and neighbors all help shape program decisions. Rather than assuming what communities need, the team actively surveys schools, collects feedback, and adjusts programs based on lived experience.

Design Programs Around the Whole Family

One of the biggest lessons that led to the School Market model was recognizing that hunger rarely impacts only one person in a household. While backpack programs remain an incredibly important intervention for children, Arkansas Foodbank found greater long-term impact when they designed solutions that could support parents, siblings, and caregivers as well.

Focus on Choice, Not Just Distribution

The organization believes one of the biggest shifts happening across hunger relief is the movement toward choice-based models. When families can select foods that match their dietary needs, cultural preferences, and household circumstances, food waste decreases and program participation increases.

Use Data to Guide Decisions

Whether identifying counties with lower produce access, selecting schools for new School Markets, or determining where resources should be directed, Arkansas Foodbank relies heavily on data alongside community feedback. As Stephen Easter explained during our conversation, success is not simply about distributing food. It’s about getting the right food to the right communities for the right reasons.

Build Strong Supplier Partnerships

Programs serving thousands of children require consistency. Arkansas Foodbank credits trusted partners such as VAFS with helping reduce administrative burden, improve planning, and create flexibility when sourcing products for large-scale programs. The result is more time spent serving neighbors and less time spent managing procurement challenges.

The Human Impact Behind the Numbers

The most powerful measure of success isn’t found in distribution reports. It’s reflected in the lives of the children these programs serve.

During a recent community discussion, one school administrator shared a story about a young student who arrived at school unusually upset and disruptive. Staff members quickly discovered the root cause. The child was hungry. After receiving food and support, she calmed down and explained that there was no food at home for her siblings either. Stories like these reinforce why the work matters.

Arkansas Foodbank has also received feedback from educators who have seen students become more engaged, confident, outgoing, and ready to learn when they have consistent access to food.

Another story involved a young boy who became distraught after forgetting the backpack he normally used to carry home his food package. He worried he would miss out on the food his family depended on. The bus driver reassured him immediately. He would still receive his food. The bag wasn’t what mattered. The support did.

These moments illustrate a reality that many people never see. Hunger affects much more than the dinner table. It affects learning, focus, confidence, belonging, and opportunity.

Building a Stronger Program Through Partnership

Arkansas Foodbank’s programs have evolved, so it has the complexity of sourcing food. Designing backpack menus requires months of planning, careful budgeting, and sourcing products that meet nutritional and logistical requirements. For nearly a decade, Arkansas Foodbank has partnered with Value-Added Food Sales to help simplify that process.

According to Stephen Easter, ordering backpack food used to involve extensive product research, quantity calculations, and coordination across multiple suppliers. Today, the process looks very different.

“I tell Meegan how many backpacks we’re building and what we want included, and she handles the details,” Easter said. “It’s saved us a tremendous amount of time.”

The partnership extends beyond product sourcing. Arkansas Foodbank regularly collaborates with VAFS on menu development, purchasing optimization, pricing strategies, and product selection to help maximize limited nonprofit budgets.

“Those small details matter,” said Alexander. “When you’re operating on a tight budget and planning for children all year long, having those insights helps us stretch every dollar further.”

The relationship has also helped Arkansas Foodbank become more proactive. From identifying substitute products before shortages occur to understanding future pricing trends and planning purchases accordingly, the collaboration helps the organization make informed decisions that maximize every available dollar. As Easter put it, what once required extensive research and coordination can now begin with a simple conversation.