The ‘Be Mighty’ food program of the Central Arkansas Library System is enhanced by Tyson’s $12,500 gift

Little Rock, Arkansas – The “Be Mighty” program of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), which links many Arkansans to a dependable food source, is expected to be directly impacted by a new grant from Tyson, the massive chicken company in northwest Arkansas.

Currently, the initiative runs out of two community freezers and eleven “Little Free Pantries” spread across the library system. The $12,500 Tyson Foods contributed on Thursday will enable the CALS to keep these supplies stocked.

Throughout the week, volunteers and neighborhood partners collaborate to supply shelf-stable items to the libraries and stock them. Usually, by the next day, fully loaded pantries are empty.

The refrigerators are filled with fresh produce, dairy goods, and other necessities; the pantries are open around the clock and include fruits, vegetables, snacks, and canned proteins.

To provide their customers with fresh Arkansas foods, canned food items, and other items like hygiene supplies, the “Be Mighty” program collaborates with neighborhood food sellers. Throughout the summer, the program provides summer lunch and after-school programs at eleven different library branches.

After speaking with Jessica Emerson, we learned that the program is stigma-free and doesn’t require registration. As a result, neither identification nor a library card are needed to access these services. People in the community are free to come and go as they want.

To increase their outreach, the library values community involvement and takes satisfaction in assisting in the connection of community people to these resources.