Sheriff’s Office Food Drive Under Way

Thursday, November 8, 2012

— The annual Benton County Sheriff’s Office food drive couldn’t come at a better time for the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.

“We wouldn’t make through the holiday season without the food drive,” said Marge Wolf, president and chief executive officer of the food bank.

Donations from individuals, companies and corporations have been down this year, she said.

“The food we get from the annual sheriff’s food drive will help us get through Thanksgiving and Christmas” Wolf said.

Sheriff Keith Ferguson said the department has collection barrels at 34 locations in the county.

“Our hope is people will buy an extra can or two of food and drop them in the collection barrel at the grocery story,” Ferguson said.

The Sheriff’s Office donated 25,000 pounds of food to the food bank at the conclusion of the last year’s food drive.

The department already has provided thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables from a garden at the jail to the food bank and the Salvation Army, Ferguson said.

“We donated 5,000 pounds of vegetables to those two organizations so far this year, and the garden is still producing turnips and a few other vegetables,” he said.

Fresh vegetables are hard to get, Wolf said.

“We have to buy some fresh vegetables, but they are never as fresh as vegetables picked that day at the jail,” she said.

The garden is under the supervision of “master gardener” Deputy Maj. Gene Drake.

“We use inmates to work the garden then donate the vegetables,” Drake said.

“We started the garden because we saw a need, and it’s turned out to be a good thing all the way around,” Drake added.

The food bank serves 160 food pantries in four counties. This year, 6 million pounds of food have passed through the food bank, Wolf said.

“We have a great need for food this year. It used to be our heavy time of the year was October through December. Now it seems like it’s heavy all year round ,” Wolf said.

Deputy Capt. Mike Jones said the food drive wouldn’t be possible with the cooperation of merchants.

“We couldn’t do it without their help. We appreciate the merchants’ willingness to help us help others,” Jones said.

The food drive is scheduled to end Dec. 21.