Methodist Foundation for Arkansas Gives $18,400 to Full Circle Food Pantry

The Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry has received an $18,400 grant from the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas to expand access to diverse, nutritious foods and strengthen campus efforts to address food insecurity. 

The funding project titled "Growing Local, Giving Local: A Campus Pantry and Market Program Centered on Local Food Access," will expand the pantry's inventory to include more fresh and diverse foods, broaden outreach through stigma-free initiatives and enhance the inventory of campus mini-pantries, which serve as additional accessible points of support.  

Grant funding will strengthen Full Circle's partnership with Spring Creek Food Hub in Springdale, allowing the pantry to provide clients with free locally sourced eggs and fresh produce. Expanding access to locally grown foods helps increase the variety of nutritious options available, as well as better reflects the cultural diversity of the campus community. 

The grant will also support additional Pantry Markets, which are free farmers' market-style events that are designed to introduce the wider campus community to the pantry's resources in a fun, stigma-free environment. Additionally, funding will help stock mini-pantries across campus with grab-and-go-items, increasing access to food for those who may be unable to visit the pantry during operating hours.  

"Stocking our 17 campus mini pantries more regularly means students caught between heavy class schedules and the squeeze of rising rent and grocery costs don't have to quietly skip a meal," said Drew Hoeldtke, the mobile foods coordinator for the food pantry. "By keeping these shelves consistently full across our massive campus, we nourish students so they can stay focused and reach their academic goals, hopefully easing some of the daily financial strain right where they learn." 

Arkansas continues to experience one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the nation. With the support of the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas, the Full Circle Food Pantry will continue advancing its mission of nourishing bodies, empowering minds and fostering a community of compassion by increasing access to healthy foods and removing barriers to seeking assistance. 

The Full Circle Food Pantry serves anyone with a UARK or UAMS ID, including students, faculty, staff and retirees, with no additional eligibility requirements. 

With a mission to establish and manage charitable funds to strengthen and expand Methodist ministries across Arkansas, the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas manages over $280 million in endowment funds and other charitable assets that benefit local churches and other Methodist ministries. In 2025, its Grants Program distributed more than $2.1 million to churches, ministries and nonprofit organizations. To learn more, visit methodistfoundationAR.org.  

About the Full Circle Food Pantry: The Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry is a student-led food assistance program striving to serve clients with balanced meals. All students, faculty, staff, Chartwells employees and temporary employees at the U of A or UAMS can receive up to two orders a week. We are dedicated to nourishing bodies, empowering minds, and creating a community of compassion. 

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.