The 21st Annual Empty Bowls is chaired by Matt and Jordon Addison.
OUR HEARTS FOR THE ARKANSAS FOODBANK
We believe the Arkansas Foodbank is the most important non-profit organization in the state of Arkansas. Full stop. Why? Because the Arkansas Foodbank provides the most essential basic need for life – food. Food on the breakfast table for the 2nd grader at Dumas Reed Elementary so he can have the energy he needs to learn. Food for the single mother in Clinton who had to miss her shifts at work to take care of her sick child and now worries about being able to afford the groceries she needs for her family. Food for the father of five in Arkadelphia who just got laid off from his job and now fears he can’t provide basic needs for his family. Food for the disabled veteran in Marianna who recently lost his wife and now struggles to meet his nutritional needs. Over half a million Arkansans like this rely on the Arkansas Foodbank every day just to make it through the day.
Nationally, Arkansas ranks second in food insecurity according to the USDA, second in child hunger according to Feeding America, and in the top five for senior hunger and severe hunger. The Arkansas Foodbank provides food for 33 counties in Arkansas to more than 400 community organizations that distribute the food to Arkansans in need. These agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, youth programs, senior centers, schools, and emergency shelters. To put that into perspective, that’s over 20 million pounds of food that goes out the doors of the Arkansas Foodbank each year for over half a million hungry Arkansans.
It's clear that the Arkansas Foodbank is a vital lifeline to hundreds of thousands of Arkansans but getting that food on dinner tables does not come cheap. The Arkansas Foodbank relies on fundraising and unlike many non-profits, the money that the Arkansas Foodbank receives stays in Arkansas and goes directly into the bowls of our hungry neighbors. As the state’s
largest foundation solely focused on the fight against hunger, they find pathways to connect people, resources, and food to reach those in need, providing dignity, hope, and a brighter future for all Arkansans. Fundraising, partnering, and advocating for the Arkansas Foodbank is essential to the success of the foundation and the well-being of our fellow Arkansans.
Food insecurity is an epidemic in Arkansas. It’s a silent suffering 17.5% of Arkansans. That’s 23.6% of our children and one out of every five of our friends. The odds are you know someone that has struggled with food insecurity, but you probably don’t even know it. Food insecurity isn’t something we post about on Facebook or chat about with our friends at work. It’s an invisible pain that over half a million Arkansans feel every single day. For over 30 years, the
Arkansas Foodbank has provided food, but they have also provided peace of mind, security, comfort, stability, and confidence to millions. They take away the worry so many in our state face and give them back a feeling of normality. They have established a legacy of trust and we must ensure that their mission and legacy never end in Arkansas. Lives depend on it.
The need in our state is extremely high and sadly, it’s growing even higher today due to rising prices from inflation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food at home have increased 13.5% this year. That means that families are literally having to choose between, paying a bill, refilling a prescription, filling up their gas tank, or feeding their family. That’s where the Arkansas Foodbank comes in. They provide that gallon of milk the first-time mother had to put back in the cooler at the grocery store. They provide the loaf of bread to the single dad that needs to make sandwiches for his kid’s lunch boxes. They provide the meal replacement shakes for the elderly woman who is undergoing chemotherapy treatments which tightens her budget and makes food difficult to eat. When the price of food increases the need for the Arkansas Foodbank increases. It is critical that they get the funding they need and right now they need it more than ever.
Agriculture is Arkansas’ largest industry, adding over $16 billion to the state’s economy annually. Ranking first in the nation for rice production and hosting over 14.5 million acres of working farmland, Arkansas has a lot of food. So why is Arkansas amongst the highest in the country for extreme hunger? There is a lot of work to be done in our state and the Arkansas Foodbank, serving more Arkansans that any other non-profit in the state, has accepted the challenge of feeding our communities – that’s why our hearts are with the Arkansas Foodbank.
OUR COMMITMENT TO EMPTY BOWLS 2023
We have dedicated our careers to agriculture by working for companies with specific missions to provide food to the world. Whether it’s working in agriculture finance helping farmers secure the funds they need to grow their crops and for food corporations to continue producing the products that end up on the shelves of the Arkansas Foodbank, or working in solar energy with a specific goal of providing farmers the opportunity to lower their costs leading to more money put back into their farming operations, or working with the top seed, chemical, and animal health companies to help them bring new products to
our country’s hard working farmers. Our professional life is invested in agriculture – and so is our personal life. Working in agriculture, especially in Arkansas, we have a unique perspective and a deep appreciation for the Arkansas Foodbank. In our careers, we’ve seen the work that goes into producing the food on the Arkansas Foodbank shelves. By volunteering, we’ve seen the amount of work it takes to get that food off the shelves and into the hands of thousands of hungry Arkansans. We know the challenges and we are committed to doing our part in providing food to the world – but most importantly to our
fellow Arkansans.
Like most Arkansans, we are not far removed from food insecurity. In fact, both of us have had times in our lives as children that our families struggled to afford food. We are a part of the 23.6% of children in our state that are hungry. Both of our families come from counties that the Arkansas Foodbank serves – some of the most poverty-stricken places in our state and country. We see the need firsthand both professionally and personally. That’s where our
love for the Arkansas Foodbank comes from.
We are no stranger to how quickly life can change. Often the people who are relying on the Arkansas Foodbank have had a sudden life change. They find themselves in line waiting for a box of food thinking about how they got to this point. It can happen overnight. It can be completely out of your control. During the pandemic we experienced two layoffs within 10 months. Our lives turned upside down twice. Twice in one year we found ourselves with only one income and bills that required us both to have a salary. Fortunately, we were about to weather those storms but that is not the case for everyone – that’s where the Arkansas Foodbank comes in. They take away a financial and emotional burden when Arkansas families need it most.
We realize we aren’t your average choice for event chairs. We aren’t c-suite executives or large company owners. We are working class millennials going through life facing good times and tough times and realizing that you don’t know if tomorrow you will need the Arkansas Foodbank, but if you do, they will be there for you with a box of food to help you get back on your feet. Throughout our life experiences we have realized the critical need for the Arkansas Foodbank and we have committed ourselves both professionally and personally to help ensure the doors of the Arkansas Foodbank will continue to open every day. As much as we would like to, we aren’t able to donate thousands of dollars of our own money to the Arkansas Foodbank. So, we do what we can, what anyone can do - volunteer, advocate, and fundraise. That is why we are so honored to be chosen as the 2023 Empty Bowls chairs. We want to use this opportunity to encourage other couples who share a passion and want to make a difference together to get involved in a way that works for them. Advocating, fundraising, and volunteering is totally free and there is not a single non-profit organization that will deny your help no matter how big or small the commitment. Your time is as valuable as money. We all have time, and we all have a choice of how to use that time – for us, we choose the Arkansas Foodbank. With Empty Bowls 2023 as our platform, we hope to raise a record amount of money for the Arkansas Foodbank, but also, we hope to inspire other young couples to get involved in fundraising, advocating, and volunteering. You don’t have donate thousands of dollars to make a difference - donate your voice, donate your time, donate your heart to your fellow Arkansans.
Over the last few years “normal” life has changed for everyone. We have all experienced once-in-a-lifetime events, loss, change, transition. Today, that remains the same - inflation is higher than it has been in years. When we walk the aisles of the grocery store together on Sundays, we can put whatever we want in our cart without having to look at price tags – this is what makes us stop and think. If we can go to the grocery store and not worry about the price at checkout, then we need to be doing more for the Arkansas Foodbank. If the cost of a gallon of milk isn’t making you reevaluate your spending habits, then you can help the Arkansas Foodbank. Are you convicted and motivated? Reach out to us. We could use your help in ensuring a record year for Empty Bowls and our beloved Arkansas Foodbank.
Matt and Jordon Addison
2023 Empty Bowls Chairs
