Arkansas

Each year, Arkansas Women in Agriculture incorporates a service project at the annual conference. In previous years, conference participants have sewn quilts for patients at Arkansas Children's Hospital, put together care packages of essential items for victims of an Arkansas tornado, and worked to put together backpacks for hungry children.

Arkansas Women in Agriculture is excited to partner with Arkansas Rice Depot again this year for our service project. 

We will be assembling candy bags for Rice Depot, which will be used by the Abba House and in Rice Depot’s Children’s Kits.

The Abba House is a part of Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity.  They began as a home for unwed moms and currently do outreach for women, the elderly, and those in low-income areas.
 
Rice Depot normally gets cases of food items to fill their Children’s Kits, but would like our help in sending the kids something special as well.  This is a real treat for a child who can’t drive through McDonald’s for an ice cream cone with his mom, or won’t get fresh cookies, or may not even have a birthday cake. Rice Depot will provide the candy and bags and ARWIA will provide the labels.
 
How you can help during the conference: Conference participants will have the opportunity to help by assembling the bags.  Our goal is to assemble 1,000 bags!
 
 
Donations
For those who would like to contribute by donating items, we are seeking donations for Rice Depot’s Personal Care Kits. The items will be given to Rice Depot, who will give to those in need. You do not need to bring all of the items on the list, just whatever you are able to and feel led to contribute.  The list of requested items is below:
 
ITEMS FOR ONE PERSONAL CARE KIT
1 Hand Towel
1 Wash Cloth
1 Comb
1 Fingernail Clippers
1 Bar of Soap
1 Toothbrush
1 Tube of Toothpaste
6 Adhesive Bandages (Band-Aids)
 
 
If you would like to donate any of these items, please bring them with you to the conference, and we will take care of getting them to Rice Depot.

Disney's Give a Day, Get a Day

Arkansas Women in Agriculture has partnered with Disney for their Give a Day, Get a Day promotion.

To learn more, contact Carrie Hirmer at carriehirmer@yahoo.com.

About

Arkansas Rice Depot

Way back in 1982, a few caring Arkansans noticed there were a lot of children, families and senior citizens going to bed hungry right here in Arkansas. Many food pantries were struggling for supplies. The cupboard was bare at the shelters.

Children were hungry. So these folks organized and looked for food. And they found rice. Home-grown, nourishing and inexpensive rice. They paid for it out of their own pockets and gave it to anyone in need.

Soon word spread about this organization that provided free rice to any group willing to fight hunger in their community. And the Arkansas Rice Depot was born.   

To learn more about Arkansas Rice Depot, visit their website, www.ricedepot.org.