Food Pantry in Fort Smith, Arkansas

A number of food banks, soup kitchens for hot meals and free emergency food pantries in Fort Smith, Arkansas distribute groceries to individuals or families who are in some form of an emergency situation.

There are also meals, free bags of food, personal toiletries and household goods for low to moderate income families from food pantries near you.

Distribution centers can include churches, non-profit organizations, community action agencies, and many other local charities as well as non-profits.

Salvation Army Food Pantry

The Salvation Army is dedicated to eliminating food insecurity.

The Salvation Army operates free local food banks around Fort Smith, Arkansas from almost all of their local social service centers. The charity organization is involved in feeding millions of families each year, with a large percentage of those assisted being children as well as the elderly.

We have located 1 Salvation Army Food Pantry locations in Fort Smith, Arkansas which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

The Salvation Army - Fort Smith, AR

Services provided :

  • Alcohol and Drug Treatment
  • Camping Activities
  • Christian Education
  • Community Recreation & Education Programs
  • Disaster Services
  • Emergency Financial Assistance
  • Emergency Shelter
  • Food & Nutrition Programs
  • Food Pantry
  • Men's Ministries
  • Music & Arts Programs
  • Rehabilitation
  • Residential Camping Activities
  • Seasonal Services
  • Store
  • Transitional Housing
  • Visitation Services
  • Women's Ministries
  • Worship Services - Church
  • Worship Services - Sunday School
  • Worship Services - Youth Ministries

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (479) 783-6145 to book your appointment.

Address :

301 N 6th St,
Fort Smith, AR 72901.
Get Directions

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Help Residents of Counties:

  • Sebastian

Church Food Pantry

A number of churches around Fort Smith, Arkansas have food pantries for those in their neighborhoods who are in need of food items.

Churches operate with food donations gathered and deliver to the food pantry nearest you by individuals using food drives.

Some churches also deliver food items to elderly who are unable to drive to a nearest community food pantry. Please contact your local church directly.

We have located 1 Church Food Pantry locations in Fort Smith, Arkansas which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

First Baptist Church of Van Buren - Open Hands Ministry Center

Our Open Hands Ministry Center assists people of Crawford County with meeting their basic grocery needs. In addition, each person that is assisted has opportunity to hear the good news that Jesus Christ died for sinners. Open Hands operates through volunteers. Open Hands is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30-7:00 PM. Those seeking assistance are required to bring a photo ID, social security cards for everyone in the household, and a current untility bill for address verification.

Services provided :

  • food pantry

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (479) 474-1271 to book your appointment.

Address :

1121 E Main St,
Van Buren, AR 72956.
Get Directions

Hours Of Operations :

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Help Residents of Cities:

  • Van Buren

Help Residents of Counties:

  • Crawford

Catholic Charities Food Pantry

Resources provided by the Catholic Charity organization focus on addressing food, holiday, and immigration needs.

Families of all religions, backgrounds, and cultures can contact Catholic Charity centers for help.

Catholic Charities in Fort Smith, Arkansas are open to families on a first-come, first-serve basis. The centers operate during normal business hours, and provide walk-ins with groceries, food boxes, and items to prepare a meal.

The food pantries are like grocery stores, allow clients the ability to choose the items they need from the groceries that are available on site.

First-time clients of the food pantry will need to apply, and this is done from a one-page application. An applicant will need to provide basic household member as well as demographic information.

We have located 0 Catholic Charities Food Pantry locations in Fort Smith, Arkansas which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

Helping Hands Food Pantry

Helping Hands is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food pantry operated around Fort Smith, Arkansas almost entirely by volunteers.

It provides a 7-day supply of groceries and personal care items free of charge to people in need, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Helping Hands is supported entirely by donations from individuals, service organizations, churches, and businesses in our community.

Find a local helping hands food pantry open near you.

We have located 1 Helping Hand Food Pantry locations in Fort Smith, Arkansas which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

Grand Avenue Baptist Church Helping Hand Ministry

We are a Christian, non-profit organization bound to the service of helping our fellow persons with their needs. We provide help in several areas, but mainly with: Food, Clothing, Counseling. As a non-profit group we survive by contributions, donations and special pricing of needed items that are used to provide the basic help to those in need. Our workers volunteer their time and labor so that we can provide these much needed items to the needy free of charge. This group was formed in June '77 by one man and his wife, Bill and Wilma Yocum, who had a vision to help those needing a helping hand. They were supported by Grand Avenue Baptist Church. It has since grown from helping just a few people each month to helping over 100 plus families each month, and the workers from just 2 people to over 70 people who are involved in some way.

Services provided :

  • food pantry

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (479) 783-5161 to book your appointment.

Address :

3900 Grand Avenue Ft,
Smith, AR 72904.
Get Directions

Hours Of Operations :

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Help Residents of Cities:

  • Smith

Help Residents of Counties:

  • Sebastian

Mobile Food Pantry

The mobile food pantry program distributes food directly to families in communities around Fort Smith, Arkansas in need during large-scale one-day distributions.

A typical mobile pantry serves 200-250 families distributing up to 10,000 pounds of food. This past year over 6.6 million pounds were distributed through this program.

Mobile food pantries usually visit churches, community centers, schools, shopping centers, and other convenient locations. They usually go to areas where there aren't grocery stores or other food pantries.

Mobile Food Pantry Schedule 2024

Unlike traditional food pantries where you go to them, mobile pantry trucks come to you. Food banks sometimes have an online mobile food pantry schedule.

Mobile food pantry scheduled to visit a community once a week or once a month. There may be last-minute cancellations or changes so recheck the mobile food pantry schedule before you plan to go.

We have located 0 Mobile Food Pantry locations in Fort Smith, Model.Content.StateName which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry

The St. Vincent de Paul food pantry operates around Fort Smith, Arkansas much like a grocery store where people in need can choose their own food. It helps to enhance their personal dignity and reduces waste due to unwanted food items.

It also helps them to be proactive in addressing any underlying health issues. This is our model of choice for food pantries in the future.

We have located 0 St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry locations in Fort Smith, Arkansas which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

Food Pantry Delivery Program

Food Pantry Delivery Program delivers food and other products once a month at twenty points in around Fort Smith, Arkansas area. This makes it just a bit easier for some of more remote rural agencies to receive their products. About 70% of members take advantage of the Food Pantry Delivery Program.

Food Pantry

We have located 1 Food Pantry locations in Fort Smith, Arkansas which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

Community Services Clearinghouse Inc.

The Community Services Clearinghouse Inc. has been in operation for 30-plus years as an organization which provides for emergency needs in the community. Now serving five counties in Arkansas and two in Oklahoma, the Clearinghouse is a 501 c3 corporation,and a recipent of United Way funds. In financial assistance, we help working families, families with children, elderly and disabled with utility bills, medication, and other needs on an emergency basis. We also have a food pantry of both non-perishable and fresh/frozen foods for the same population.

Services provided :

  • food pantry

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (479) 782-5074 to book your appointment.

Address :

4420 Wheeler Avenue Ft,
Smith, AR 72901.
Get Directions

Hours Of Operations :

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Help Residents of Cities:

  • Smith

Help Residents of Counties:

  • Sebastian

Drive-thru Food Pantries

Since the start of the coronavirus, drive-thru food pantries have become the safest, most efficient way to provide food to our struggling neighbors.

Who can visit a drive-thru pantry?

Drive-thru pantries are open for anyone who needs help getting food. There are no eligibility criteria. Visitors do not need to provide any identification or income statements.

Only two piece of information is asked

  • You Zipcode, and
  • Number of people in their family.

You dont need to take appointment. Drive-thru pantries are first-come, first served so plan to arrive early.

How do drive-thru pantries actually work?

There are lot of volunteers help at Drive-thru food pantries. While not all drive-thru pantries operate in the same way, here�s how most work:

Staff and volunteers direct visitors to the parking area.

Visitors pull up to the pantry in their car and are usually guided into a clearly marked queue. As people move through the pantry, staff will continue to move the cars forward to get everyone through as quickly and safely as possible.

Checkin.

You are required to fill some information for Pantry's recording keeping.

Food is loaded into the cars.

Pre-packed bags of food, usually full of shelf-stable items like pasta, canned fruit and peanut butter, as well as fresh produce and meats are loaded by volunteers into the trunk of the car.

Pet Food Pantry

One in four pet owners who give up their pets to a shelter say it is because they cannot afford to care for them. Pet Food Pantries are designed to fill the void in the nation�s current assistance programs that exclude the purchase of food and supplies for family pets.

The Pet Food Pantry provides free pet food, for 3 months or less, to pet owners who cannot afford to feed their pets in Fort Smith, Arkansas

Who are eligible for Pet Food Pantry

Pet Food Pantry helps people who are:

  • All ages, races and marital status
  • Unemployed or underemployed
  • Retired, living on social security or other limited income
  • Physically or mentally disabled
  • Experiencing homelessness or housing instability

Tips for Visiting a Food Pantry

Show up early.

This is very important. This means you will be first in line and have a chance to get the items that are sought after and in limited quantities such as fresh produce, dairy and frozen food.

You don't usually need to show up hours ahead of time but coming at least an hour before is usually a good idea.

Remember all documentation.

Many food pantries require documentation to prove who you are, and in some cases, where you live.

This is to make sure people are not coming more than they are allowed or using fake names to do so. Call ahead of time to find out what documentation is needed.

It's just your photo ID and a piece of mail that verifies your address.

Use several food banks.

Using more than one food bank (when available) is smart because you may be able to get something at one that you may not get at another.

For instance, one may have a deal with a local gardener that gives them their extras. This may mean this food bank has more produce.

Eligible for other programs?

Ask your Department of Social Services office if you are eligible for other assistance programs to supplement your household’s food supply.

They can easily tell you if you can apply for WIC (Women and Infant Children), USDA Commodities or SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.

Ask about extras.

If you have special needs for infants or special diets, the pantries may be able to assist you.

Many times, they can help with diapers, baby formula, baby food, personal hygiene products, and even special diet items like gluten free or sugar free foods.

Go on different days of the week.

Depending on the food pantry, they may be open only one or two days a week or they may be open all seven days. When you have a choice, going midweek is often best as it is less crowded.

Be polite to workers.

Nearly everyone at a food bank is a volunteer. Be polite to the workers there as they often deal with highly emotional situations.

FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What is the difference between a food bank and a food pantry?

Independent community food pantries are self-governing and usually distribute food to their clients on a once-a-month basis. A food bank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. A food pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.

2. What kind of food is at a food pantry?

Specifically, food banks often need items like:

  • Peanut butter
  • Canned soup
  • Canned fruit
  • Canned vegetables
  • Pasta
  • Canned beans
  • Canned stew
  • Canned fish

3. Who can go to food pantry?

At the majority of food pantries, eligibility is based on self-attested need. You do not need to have a referral, and income is not a factor to receive food.

4. What is the difference between a food pantry and a soup kitchen?

A food pantry provides three-day food packages to families that have a place to live, but not enough food. These packages are designed to provide nutritionally balanced meals. Soup kitchens serve individuals in need of a hot meal, the only meal of the day for many of them.

5. How does a food pantry work?

Food Banks acquire large donations of edible but unmarketable food from the food industry and distribute it to organizations that feed hungry people. Then they provide this food to family in a need.