1,000 a big number on Saturday

BENTON COUNTY — Valley Harvest Community Outreach Center will distribute 1,000 free coats for children, 1,000 food boxes and 1,000 books on Saturday.

Donation coordinator Anthony Soto said the community outreach program, dubbed Vision 1,000, is being hosted in partnership with Feed the Children. Donations will be distributed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 201 N. 37th St. in Rogers.

"Vision 1,000 is a community outreach program designed to touch over 1,000 lives each year in thenorthwest Arkansas community through the giving of necessities to those in need," Soto said. "Although our main focus is being advocates for children, we also reach out to adults in need."

Soto said donations will be distributed to all area residents in need, regardless of income level. Donations for the program, he said, were collected from both church members and nonmembers.

"Every church needs to have an arm that gives back to the community, and this is our community outreach initiative," he said. "Our goal was to gather goods for the community because we think it's important to help our neighbors in need, especially during this economic downturn."

According to its Web site, Valley Harvest is a nondenominational, biblical church.

Additional sponsors for Saturday's program include Wal-Mart and the American Heart Association, which will be on hand to provide free health screenings. Children's games and entertainment will also be provided.

"This is our first big communityoutreach initiative that's part of Valley Harvest Ministries, so we're really excited," Soto said. "It all started with members of the church asking how we could truly impact our community. So far, we've reached out to the Samaritan House, local schools, the Boys and Girls Club, children's shelters and many other organizations that serve our constituency."

If the program is successful, Soto said, the church hopes to make Vision 1,000 an annual event.

For more information about Valley Harvest Community Outreach Center, visit www.valleyharvest.org or call 636-9878.