District Update | October 29, 2017
Click here if you have trouble viewing this email
U.S. Congressman French Hill
Dear Friends,

Children need nutritious food to grow and thrive, and they need it every day. One in four Arkansas children faces food insecurity - meaning they are not sure when or where their next meal will come from. In some of our most rural counties, that rate is as high as one in every three children, and over 176,000 children in our state live in food insecure households.

Since coming to Congress, one of my top priorities has been working with groups and individuals in Arkansas who are committed to empowering all members of our community, particularly those living in poverty who need our help. On the CEI blog this month, I want to recognize community organizations like the Arkansas Foodbank that are exploring ways to create seamless access to nutritious food for children who face hunger. Every day, their 450 partner agencies and schools help struggling families by feeding their children.

The Arkansas Foodbank is working to answer important questions like: If a child is food insecure, how often do they have nutritious snacks or meals when they are not in school? How can we make sure children have access to nutritious food at night, on the weekends, on the holidays, and during the summer?

Helping to alleviate this food hunger crisis, the Foodbank’s “Food For Kids” program is focused on effective, cost-efficient and replicable hunger relief programs to target children in need. The impact of childhood hunger is immediate as well as long-term. But with community-wide support and programs that seek to reach children —whether at home during the weekend, after school, or through the summer—together, we can ensure children have access to healthy and nutritious food all year round.


When children receive the food they need to grow and thrive as individuals, they perform better in school, have improved emotional and physical development, and ultimately focus on themselves and their community.

One organization that the Foodbank supports is the “In His Image Youth Development Center (IHIYDC),” which serves approximately 35 children in Arkansas every day. When there are full days at the center, the kids ranging from six to 11 years of age eat breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack. “The kids enjoy eating healthy foods. We do health and nutrition programs and cooking classes, too.” Charity Tyler, IHIYDC’s Prevention Program Coordinator, says. “We teach them that they should eat at least three fruits and two vegetables a day.”

Many of the children that IHIYDC serves have parents who are working or who are actively looking for full-time employment. IHIYDC’s charitable actions are making a positive impact in the lives of the children they serve as they partner with the Foodbank in their efforts. “One child comes here every afternoon sleepy, but wakes up for snack time,” Tyler says. Programs like these are important links to educating hungry children and ensuring they get healthy foods, which enhances their learning and their capability to stay focused.

Every child in Arkansas ought to go to bed with a full stomach. Our children should be spending their time and energy going to school, doing their homework, playing with their friends, and spending time with their families. Charitable efforts across our state like the Arkansas Foodbank and their partnering organizations are helping alleviate food insecurity for our Arkansas children in need. It is inspiring to see so many people in our communities helping support this worthy cause.

Together as a community, we are united in fighting hunger and helping our Arkansas children get the food and care they need.

Sincerely,

Representative French Hill

Photos for the Week

We enjoyed seeing friends from the Arkansas Chapter of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association at our nation's Capitol this week. They are doing great things for the industry and more importantly, their employees. It's always good to see local groups in D.C.!

It's always great talking to our nation's future leaders! Fantastic questions from 7th and 8th graders at St. Theresa Catholic School in Little Rock. We had a terrific conversation via Google Hangouts about public service, what it takes to succeed, and how to be a leader in our communities. Thank you to principal Kristy Dunn and her students for taking the time to speak with me.

If you'd like me to visit your school or participate in a Google Hangout, please contact Matt.Karvelas@mail.house.gov. 


Had a good visit with Tim Young of the Washington Examiner this week. We talked about the Little Rock’s pre-emptive break-up with Amazon last Thursday. Instead of submitting a long-shot bid to host the e-commerce giant’s second headquarters, in a full-page newspaper ad, Little Rock let them know "It's not you, it's us."

Check out the #LoveLittleRock campaign by the City of Little Rock and Little Rock Regional Chamber at at lovelittlerock.org to learn why I consider Central Arkansas a hidden gem and so many businesses are started, expanded, and relocated here.


Appreciate all my friends who helped promote Arkansas Drug Take Back on Saturday - including Irvin Reaves with the DEA, advocate and realtor Steven Blackwood, Dr. John Kirtley, Arkansas Drug Czar and former Benton Police Chief Kirk Lane, and KARN.

Hats off to Arkansas Children's Hospital and Walgreens for joining with the Pulaski County Sheriff's office to educate families and clean out medicine cabinets.

Signup facebook twitter youtube instagram
Washington, DC Office
1229 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2506
Fax: (202) 225-5903
Conway Office
1105 Deer Street, Suite 12
Conway, AR 72032
Phone: (501) 358-3481
Fax: (501) 358-3494
Little Rock Office
1501 N. University Ave., Suite 150
Little Rock, AR 72207
Phone: (501) 324-5941
Fax: (501) 324-6029
UPDATE SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT US