Hope in Action receives $12,000 grant Tuesday

By Rick Kennedy, managing editor
With its awards of some $2.7 million in grants across Arkansas, Hope in Action was among those receiving an award from the Blue & You Foundation in the amount of $12,000 as presented Tuesday afternoon.
Hope in Action Board Chairman Paul Henley was on hand for the ceremonial presentation from Rebecca Pittillo, the regional executive for South Arkansas at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and Patrick O’Sullivan of the Blue Foundation.
Henley said the $12,000 grant is earmarked locally for a proposed industrial Walk-In Cooler to keep food, especially produce, fresh for distribution to Hope In Action food panty visitors.
Henley envisions that the unit, when obtained, will be installed on the front porch area adjacent to what is the front door of the Hope In Action house at 606 W. Third in Hope.
“We are very pleased to be working with Hope In Action; we gave a $12,000 grant for a walk-in cooler. They appear to have a lot of the canned food and staples, but in order to give out fresh food and vegetables, they needed that cooler space,” Pittillo said.
On Tuesday afternoon prior to the presentation, traffic had been steady with food distribution. Mae Dulaney, the longtime food bank director, said “It has been busy, but we’re in good shape right now with food; donations been good since Christmas.”
Hope in Action was originally established in January 1986 and focuses on serving families in Hope and Hempstead County. The food bank’s hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 870-777-8227.