Arkansas Community Action Agencies Association (ACAAA) conducted site visits June 9 with St. Luke AME Church, Family Church, and Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church to welcome them into the 2025 Harvesting Hope Cohort.
These visits mark the first phase of implementation for a statewide initiative designed to combat food insecurity and improve health outcomes in underserved communities, according to a news release from ACAAA.
The 2025 Harvesting Hope Cohort consists of 11 congregations located in Jefferson, Drew, Pulaski, Logan, Pope, Franklin, and Yell counties. The cohort will accept up to 15 churches each year through 2030.
Launched in partnership with the University of the Ozarks, Harvesting Hope works to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, mitigate occurrences of chronic illnesses, and build the capacity of churches to lead sustained, community-level solutions.
“By equipping faith-based institutions with resources, training, and a mobile market infrastructure, this initiative aims to transform how communities address hunger and health –starting right where trust is strongest: in the church,” according to the release.
ACAAA Executive Director Tomekia Moore, a Pine Bluff resident, explained the effort.
“Food and nutrition insecurity are not just about hunger,” Moore said. “They are about health, dignity, and local power. These congregations are stepping forward to lead, and we’re honored to walk beside them.”
In tandem with Harvesting Hope, ACAAA is also spearheading the Arkansas Pathways to Self-Sufficiency Initiative — a statewide collaboration uniting agencies, nonprofits, educators, and state leaders to confront the root causes of poverty.
This initiative is mobilizing multiple task forces around key domains, including workforce development, digital equity, healthcare, education, and food security.
“While its framework is being shaped at the state level, its true power will come from local input, dialogue, and community-driven solutions,” according to the release.
Harvesting Hope and Arkansas Pathways to Self-Sufficiency reflect the mission of community action — to create meaningful, community-rooted solutions that meet families where they are, Moore said.
“These initiatives aren’t about charity. They are about building systems that work for everyone,” she said.
Individuals, organizations, and congregations interested in getting involved in either of these initiatives are encouraged to contact Tomekia Moore at [email protected].
发表回复