Full Circle Food Pantry Receives Nearly $9,000 From Arvest

The Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry has received a significant boost in its efforts to combat food insecurity on campus thanks to a donation from Arvest Bank's annual Million Meals campaign.

Representatives from the pantry accepted a check for $8,848.22 on Tuesday as one of more than 70 food partners selected to benefit from Arvest's 2026 Million Meals campaign.

The annual initiative, which ran April 1 through May 30, raised a record $633,513 to help provide more than 3.16 million meals across Arvest's four-state footprint. Million Meals supports food banks and pantries during the summer months, when demand increases but resources can be strained.

Donna Jones, director at the Center for Community Engagement, and Delaney Farris-Dyer, assistant director at the center and pantry adviser, accepted the check on behalf of the pantry.

Farris-Dyer said the funding will support daily operations, including stocking shelves and maintaining the pantry's network of 17 mini-pantries across campus.

"Through the generosity of Arvest and its Million Meals campaign, we can continue to support our campus community members facing barriers," Farris-Dyer said. "This support helps us positively impact well-being and belonging on campus as well as student retention and graduation rates."

The need is significant. The 2024 Arkansas Health Survey found 28.8% of adults in the state experience food insecurity. At the U of A, the Associated Student Government recently conducted a preliminary survey with just over 1,000 respondents: 26% said they worry about running out of food before they have money to buy more, while 39% said they've had to skip meals or reduce portion sizes due to financial constraints. The Center for Community Engagement and the food pantry plan to expand on the survey data this fall with a campus-wide student basic needs survey.

"These statistics affirm the level of need in our community," Farris-Dyer said. "We want our campus community to be fully present in their roles, whether in the workplace or the classroom. Access to food is essential to that."

From August 2025 through May 2026, the pantry distributed more than 60,000 items, averaging more than 400 visits per month.

Established in 2011 by the Volunteer Action Center, Full Circle is a student-led emergency food assistance program that provides nonperishable items and fresh produce, including food grown in its campus garden. The pantry is operated by 11 student board members and serves anyone with a U of A or UAMS ID and their household. Clients may receive a three-day supply of groceries and personal care items up to twice per week.

The partnership with Arvest began after a pantry tour last year. Following a $5,000 gift during the pantry's naming anniversary celebration in October, Arvest invited Full Circle to join the 2026 Million Meals campaign as a food partner.

To learn more about the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry, visit service.uark.edu/services/pantry/.

About the Division of Student Affairs: The Division of Student Affairs supports the whole student by cultivating transformative experiences and environments that promote student well-being, sense of community, and success. We prioritize student access, well-being and belonging, post-graduation success, and building a strong organizational culture. For more information, visit studentaffairs.uark.edu.