Arkadelphia food pantries feed hundreds of local families for Thanksgiving -

**Will Summerville, a retired Arkansas state trooper, volunteers for a food distribution event at the Community Family Enrichment Center.** | *Joel Phelps/arkadelphian.com*

More than 1,000 Clark County families in need will be able to sit down to a Thanksgiving meal this holiday season thanks to volunteers and donations to a number of food pantries in Arkadelphia

Last week, the Arkadelphia Community Family Enrichment Center packaged 600 boxes of food to distribute to the same number of families. The boxes contained either fresh turkey or baking hens, pasta, milk, cereal, vegetables, fruits and desserts. Center director Dr. Patricia Wright said the goal was to not turn any family away from the food pantry.

Across town the Clark County Ecumenical Food Pantry doled out more than 400 boxes of meals, complete with a protein of 10-pound bags of chicken, at First United Methodist Church. Light House Ministries helped to feed the hungry with a similar distribution event.

Each box is said to contain enough food to not only supply a Thanksgiving meal but also to feed a family for the week of the holiday.

Volunteers, donations, grants and community support make the food pantries a reality for feeding local families in need. The Arkansas Food Bank is another major source for feeding families, both locally and across the state.

**At Arkadelphia First United Methodist Church, hundreds of boxes are packed with food and wait distribution to local families.** | *Leslie R. Kent/arkadelphian.com*

Monetary donations and non-perishable food items may be dropped off at the Family Enrichment Center, 301 N. 23rd St., or monetary donations can be mailed to the center at P.O. Box 582, Arkadelphia, AR 71923. Likewise, the Ecumenical Food Pantry accepts donations at 107 N. 9th St., Arkadelphia.