JONESBORO, ARK – The Bradbury Art Museum is working to expand its connection with the Jonesboro community through outreach, partnerships and access to free art.
BAM Education coordinator Paden DeVita said building trust in a largely rural community has been key to the museum’s growth.
“We’ve built a lot of trust with the community. We hope to continue expanding programs while strengthening relationships we already have,” DeVita said.
The museum started as a gallery in 2001 and became a museum in 2007. It serves both Arkansas State University and the surrounding community.
The museum increased its outreach and programming in recent years, including partnering with the fine arts department on campus to showcase art, as well as expanding its reach to other colleges on the university campus. Outreach efforts expanded through summer workshops and partnerships with local organizations such as the Craighead County Public Library, offering programs and activities for students.
Attendees listen to a presentation at An Evening At The Museum, an event hosted by BAM and the Northeast Arkansas Hispanic Professional Network. The event, held April 23, 2026, represented a partnership between BAM and local organizations. Photo Courtesy of BAM Facebook page.
One recent workshop focused on linocut printmaking, a hands-on art form that allows students to carve designs and create prints. Museum photographer and outreach assistant Savannah Sifford said programs like these help introduce different types of art to the community.
“These workshops give people the chance to experience art in a hands-on way,” Sifford said.
Being located on a college campus, the museum draws a mix of students and local residents. Front desk manager and Graphic Designer AnnEllise Jarrett said recent visitors have included students and adults in their 20s and 30s.
Click to View!
“Recently, many have said they have found the museum through social media and online searches,” Jarrett said.
Even with increased engagement, visibility remains a challenge as the museum is tucked away on the side of the Fowler Center.
“Getting people through the door is one of the biggest challenges. We’re always trying to increase engagement,” DeVita said.
Jarret said having a museum like BAM is important, especially in rural communities, for allowing students and adults the opportunity to engage with art.
The museum plans to continue expanding its programming with additional gallery activities and partnerships aimed at increasing community engagement.
JONESBORO, Ark. — At Arkansas State University, theater productions like “Leading Ladies” depend greatly on the presence of a live audience, many of whom come from the surrounding Jonesboro community.
(Left) Garrett Veal, Zane Brewer, Zoey Newcomb and Donovan Walters playing Duncan, Leo, Meg and Jack, respectively, in A-State Theater’s production of “Leading Ladies.” Photo courtesy of Arkansas State University
While the Department of Theatre produces the show, students alone cannot complete the experience without a live audience. Performing in front of live audiences night after night gives the students the most authentic acting experience possible.
Assistant stage manager and A-State student Emalee Gillean said the difference is noticeable.
“When audiences are reactive, laughing and engaged, our actors can feed off of that energy and put it into our show. Without a real audience, the feel of the show is very different,” Gillean said.
Because theater is performed live, each audience brings something new to the experience.
“Each audience has their own personality,” Gillean said. “Each day, our audiences are entirely different because of the energy they bring to the performance.”
For students who are involved in the production, that interaction is part of what makes theater different from regular classroom experiences. Director DayDay Robinson said students gain valuable insights through productions like this.
“Students gain real, hands-on experience that you just can’t replicate in a classroom,” Robinson said.
That experience is not only about rehearsals, but also performing in front of others and responding to audience reactions in real time. Gillean said audiences include more than just students.
“We see a wide variety of students, professors, family members and Jonesboro community members in our audiences,” Gillean said.
That mix of audience members shows how productions bring the Jonesboro community onto campus while also giving the students a chance to perform for a wider audience. In addition to performance, visual elements also contribute to the audience’s experience. Costume designer Claire Abernathy said actors bring those elements to life on stage.
“The two actors wear the costumes with such confidence and really embrace the fun, absurd playfulness of the moment,” Abernathy said.
For many students, the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience is one of the most important parts of the process.
“We spend months building a show and creating a special experience. Getting to showcase it is the highlight of the process for many,” Gillean said.
Click to View!
For performers, that connection between the stage and the audience is what makes live theater special. Donovan Walters, a student actor who performed in the A-State Theater production, “Leading Ladies,” said theater is a communal experience.
“Theater is a shared experience that connects a tie between all the people on stage and everybody in every seat,” Walters said.
For a city like Jonesboro, this connection between community and school is valuable.
The university’s theater program depends on community members to attend performances, while those same community members benefit from access to live theater and creative work produced by the students. Both sides have an important role in the success of the school and the community.
JONESBORO, Ark. — The College of Education & Behavioral Sciences’ interconnection with the Northeast Arkansas community benefits education majors, NEA school districts and Arkansas State University.
Makenzi Davis graduated in December with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. A-State awarded her the Chancellor’s Scholar at the College of Education & Behavioral Sciences Convocation of Scholars Ceremony.
She was also one of the first students at the college to be accepted into the new Aspiring Teacher Program. The program allows students who make a high enough score on their exam to waive their year of residency and become full-time teachers immediately.
“Before, I was just a college kid who stuck to their inner circle and this really stretched me as a person. It’s made me a lot more connections than what I had before I got here,” Davis said.
Davis now teaches physical education at the Nettleton Intermediate School and serves as the junior high girls’ head basketball coach. She said this position has made her feel a lot closer to the NEA community.
Lacy Baker, the Nettleton School District Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Assessment, has been involved in the district’s hiring process for many years. She said at least half of the Nettleton School District teaching staff working there currently has some sort of certification degree from A-State.
The school district also takes in as many A-State residency placements as possible. For the 2026 fall semester, the district had 27 placement requests and she predicts they’ll be able to take in all of them.
“Anything we can do here at Nettleton to reinforce what A-State is doing there and, of course, keep up our numbers of teachers,” Baker said.
Baker said she’s a big fan of the Aspiring Teacher Program because it’s good for the students. It gives college students early access to teacher benefits and salary. She said A-State graduates come to the workplace very well prepared.
“Arkansas State is doing beautifully by preparing their students. I think it’s such a wonderful opportunity for student that are already ready to go ahead and go on into that third year,” Baker said.
Baker said student-athlete visits, professor presentations and staff meetings are some other ways A-State stays involved in the Nettleton School District.
Valarie Hilson, an assistant professor and program coordinator of Physical Education Teacher Education at A-State, said the Aspiring Teacher Program strengthens collaboration with the NEA school districts.
Faculty from Community Care & Miracle Kids volunteer at the Area Seven Special Olympics Track Meet, held April 10 at Jonesboro High School. Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Arkansas Area Seven
Click to View!
Hilson, who coaches the Special Olympics of Arkansas and serves as the Area Seven training director, has served as a Special Olympics coach for over 20 years. An A-State colleague introduced her to the nonprofit organization. The organization hosts regular sporting events across the state.
Jonesboro High School hosted the last event April 10, which included 565 athletes ranging in ages from 2 to 60 participating. The Nettleton High School track team, local businesses and A-State faculty and students were all involved in the event.
The commitment to helping one another succeed is vital in maintaining the relationship between the education majors, NEA school districts and A-State.
JONESBORO — The Arkansas State University Aggie Market is doing more than selling locally processed meat. The market to many students and community members provides a visible connection between A-State and the larger city.
View of the front of the Arkansas State University Aggie Market. Photo courtesy of Arkansas State University
Part of the College of Agriculture, the Aggie Market serves as both a student learning facility and a public retail space. Students help process, market and sell products while interacting directly with Jonesboro residents during weekly retail hours and community events.
Richard Readnour, meat laboratory manager, said the market’s role extends beyond education by creating direct interaction between students and the Jonesboro community.
“The Aggie Market’s target audience is anyone within the Jonesboro community, or surrounding areas. We seek to build relationships with students, staff, faculty, and strengthen our community ties,” Readnour said.
The Aggie Market first opened in 1971 as the ASU Meat Lab under the leadership of Raymond Hostetler. The meat lab originally focused primarily on teaching and USDA-inspected processing.
In 2021, the College of Agriculture received grant funding from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture that allowed the facility to undergo major renovations. The market reopened in 2023 under the new name A-State Aggie Market as the first state-inspected facility in Arkansas.
The renovation also expanded opportunities for students beyond meat processing. Students can now participate in nearly every step of production, from raising livestock at the university farm to developing and marketing retail products sold to the public. Students working inside the market are often the face of those interactions.
Hannah Johns, a student employee at the Aggie Market, said they provide hands-on learning opportunities and even employment for students.
“We are committed to producing products handmade by students and being engaged with the community,” Johns said.
The market opens weekly to the public, allowing residents to purchase products directly from students working in the facility. Readnour said those face-to-face interactions help students gain experience while also giving customers a better understanding of agriculture and food production.
According to Readnour, the market isn’t a one-time stop.
“We have several repeat customers who come back often to pick up their favorite products. We use this as an opportunity to tell them about the importance of agriculture, and our students who help us through every stage of production,” Readnour said.
Still, awareness of the Aggie Market itself may not be widespread throughout Jonesboro.
Craig Rickert of the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission said he was more familiar with the broader Judd Hill Farmers’ Market than the Aggie Market specifically. Rickert said community-centered agriculture events hosted through A-State play an important role in connecting the university with Jonesboro residents.
“The great appeal of the Judd Hill Farmers’ Market is that it brings people to campus,” Rickert said. “Those Saturday morning and Tuesday afternoon trips can be as much about being social as shopping. You can get great local products in a lot of places. But the farmers’ market gives you community on top of that.”
Click to View!
Rickert said the Aggie Market should be viewed as a community resource and not exclusive to the university.
“When you see the full parking lot, the families, the kids running around snagging a free taste of something, that’s special,” Rickert said. This most definitely strengthens the connection between the city and the university. A-State is the heart of our city.”
While the Aggie Market operates on a relatively small scale compared to other university outreach efforts, it continues to provide one of the few spaces where students and Jonesboro residents regularly interact through a shared local experience.
“We need to drop the sentiment that something is only A-State or only Jonesboro. The city and the university live together hand-in-hand,” Rickert said.
(left) Arkansas State University Chancellor Todd Shields and Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver shake hands during the 2025 Paint the Town Red block party, held in downtown Jonesboro. Cody Slater, vice president of chamber programs, said the event emphasized the importance of A-State’s connection with the Jonesboro community. Photo courtesy of Allie Carson.
Arkansas State University provides many connections to Northeast Arkansas and the Jonesboro community. Students in the Civic Reporting and Media Writing courses investigated those as the spring 2026 semester ended.
Benjamin McDowell explores student involvement in Jonesboro.
Amelia Young examines the partnership between Arkansas State and Nettleton Junior High School.
Levi Collins inspects associations between A-State Market and the Jonesboro community.
Jaden Haley emphasizes the relationship between A-State theater and the NEARK community.
Ali Lara details affiliations between Northeast Arkansas and A-State’s College of Education & Behavioral Science.
Shawna Whitehurst explains how the Bradbury Art Museum provides more than art to the region.
Special thanks to project editor Jerry Don Burton.
Nettleton BRIDGE program students presenting and watching their final video projects about Nelson Mandela and Zodwa Dlamini. Photo by Mia Young.
JONESBORO, Ark.- The Nettleton BRIDGE program introduces middle school students at Nettleton Junior High to the learning environment of a college student by teaching them about multimedia journalism in the School of Media & Journalism.
The Nettleton BRIDGE program began as a way to help Nettleton Junior High students experience what it is like on a university campus, so they can imagine themselves as a student at Arkansas State University or any other university. Many first-generation college students struggle to imagine college life.
Chris Moss, principal of Nettleton Junior High, contacted Gina Houge, associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Communication, because he wanted to target his eighth-grade students young enough to benefit from an experience that could encourage them to become college students. Last year, the program began by bringing in a small group of Nettleton students who were interested in multimedia journalism, especially the media aspect.
“I mean, that’s what students know, right? They have their phones, and they’re engaged in media constantly,” Hogue said. “But to get an experience within an academic field was what Mr. Moss wanted them to experience.”
Hogue and Moss also wanted to add a historical component to the program, as they are both passionate about history. But last year’s pilot program focused on building the students’ multimedia journalism skills, and they were unable to build out any historical component. Jonathan Reaves, instructor in the school of media and journalism, played a critical role in working with the students and developing their multimedia journalism skills.
“The first year of the program (last year) was a challenge in that we were developing a program from scratch,” Reaves said. “In the first year, we had to decide which media we wanted to use. We primarily focused on video packages, and I have been working on audio podcasts separately. I expect we will incorporate more audio podcasting next year.”
The program changed significantly from the first year to the second. Last year, the group of students interested in media activities merged with the group who were interested in STEM activities. This meant some Mondays, the group would work on multimedia projects and other Mondays, they would work on STEM projects.
This year, the two groups remained separate, and they focused on adding a historical component along with learning the elements of writing, audio and video.
“So we wanted to continue with street talks, and we wanted to expand and add the audio component in so they could do more audio editing. Then Alina and Jonathan wanted them this semester to do an actual video report that encompassed all of these elements of interview, audio and also video,” Hogue said. “To build in the historical component, we wanted students to be able to meet people from many places around the world and learn about the culture in other places and to interview people, so that they’re doing their research, ’cause when you research like a journalist, you’re researching like a historian.”
Throughout the last year, students completed several multimedia projects based on what they learned about different historical topics in the Nettleton BRIDGE program class.
One of the first things Alina Sakayeva taught the students about was her hometown of Kazan, Russia. Sakayeva talked about her family traditions, the food they eat and the relationship between her and her family. She showed them some of the historic buildings and contemporary athletic facilities where they host global soccer matches, and taught the students about the ancient culture and the traditions there.
“The students sat on the edge of their seats, listening and looking at the images, and watching the videos of the cultural dancers in Kazan, conveying the history of that region of the world to these young people, these eighth graders, from Nettleton Jr. High School,” Hogue said.
At the end of the nine weeks, the students created their video story about Kazan and something from Sakayeva’s culture they were interested in, and then presented it to the class.
“The Kazan video (was my favorite), it gave us a lot of freedom to do whatever with the video, and it was super fun to learn about,” Brylin Smallman, eighth grader in the Nettleton BRIDGE program, said.
During the second nine weeks, the students learned about the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. They also individually created videos on the topic using interviews with Alice Phelps, a former educator on the reservation, and their own research.
During the third nine weeks, they read “The Story of Nelson Mandela” by Floyd Stokes and learned about him, and Zodwa Dlamini, who was in his administration in South Africa and who brought several school districts together there. The students also interviewed Dlamini over Zoom.
For their final projects in the fourth nine weeks, the students spent time in the K-labs learning about audio production and editing their videos about what they learned from their reading, their research and the interview with Dlamini.
Not only are the students learning audio, video, storytelling and a little bit about history but they are also learning life lessons they will carry with them throughout their lives.
“(I learned) to be open-minded. I wasn’t very open-minded at the beginning, and now I’m just like ‘OK, this is what’s going to happen, and that’s OK,’” Fielder Franks, an eighth grader in the Nettleton BRIDGE program, said. “Sometimes life happens, and it doesn’t go your way, and sometimes that’s just how it works, and so, you’ve just gotta be OK with that and move on.”
Every Monday, the group of 12 students would meet in the TV studio in the A-State College of Media and Journalism for two hours. This means these students would be missing three class periods and would be responsible for making up the classwork they missed. To be in the BRIDGE program, the students have to meet certain requirements, like having good grades (because they miss a lot of work) and not having any behavioral issues at school.
Karley Barnes incorporates multimedia elements into her EAST class, which each of the students attends. Barnes, an A-State alum, also travels with the students to and from the A-State campus and gives students a participation grade based on whether or not they came out and did their best.
“I think it benefits them because they get out of the classroom, they get to be challenged. It might be kind of taboo to say, but public school education is very watered down, and it’s not watered down out here,” Barnes said.
Click to View!
Next year, the program will see a new group of eighth graders with many of the same and many different projects. Each year the students move up in school, the program continues to support them, but they have less time to visit campus. Reaves and Hogue are still excited for what next year will bring, even though the current eighth graders may not be on campus as much next year as they are now.
“I would tell these students to stay curious, keep working on their editing skills and be proud of what they have done,” Reaves said.
The Nettleton BRIDGE program does not just give students a chance to learn and improve their media skills, but “to help them, to inspire their learning, and to find their pathway in life. That’s the goal,” Hogue said.
A blue trolley-style bus parked at the Jonesboro City Hall building. These buses offer transportation services using the GoJo Transportation System. Photo courtesy of the City of Jonesboro website.
JONESBORO, Ark. — The City of Jonesboro’s new GoJo Transportation System provides a convenient service to Arkansas State University students, offering free, campus-wide transportation. However, limited outreach to students has kept many from using the service.
The new GoJo system, previously JET, provides service to A-State and the surrounding Jonesboro area. It features six routes, ranging from on-campus hotspots to countless places in the city. The new Let’s GOJO! The app and website provide a map of all stops and routes to help users locate the nearest available transportation, as well as live tracking of all buses and trolleys.
The service is free to students with a valid student ID, providing an accessible alternative to driving or walking.
One of the most notable features of the system is the new Trolley-style buses. These vehicles provide classic aesthetics with modern functionality, which gives students a comfortable ride that is also more visually appealing than traditional transportation options.
A red trolley-style bus parked in front of the Arkansas State University Welcome Center. Photo courtesy of the City of Jonesboro website.
City officials and transportation coordinators said GoJo is meant to connect residents, visitors and students to the city of Jonesboro through expanded connections throughout the city, including A-State.
Despite the advantages to students, GoJo is relatively unknown amongst them. International student Boaz Muteba said she followed the news surrounding the new system.
“In the fall of 2024, when public transportation options were expected to increase, I was one of the individuals who participated in the meeting to get more buses,” Muteba said. “Recently, when the idea took shape, I spotted the bus on campus and even saw it featured on Instagram. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to utilize it.”
The system’s impact goes beyond convenience. By encouraging students to use public transit, Gojo supports sustainable efforts and accessibility for those without personal vehicles and eases parking demand that comes with a growing campus.
As Jonesboro and student enrollment at A-State continue to grow, GoJo presents an opportunity to strengthen connections between the city and it’s academia scene. However, its success will depend on public awareness of this new system.
Pedestrians walk through downtown Jonesboro beneath a “Welcome to Downtown Jonesboro” banner, highlighting the connection between Arkansas State University and the local community. Photo courtesy of Arkansas State University.
JONESBORO, Ark. — As Arkansas State University continues to grow alongside the city of Jonesboro, students and community leaders say the relationship between campus and community is evolving, but not without challenges.
From economic inequality to shifting social values, both groups are working to better understand their roles in a shared space. While students often focus on academics, identity and campus life, many Jonesboro residents are more concerned with jobs, healthcare and the rising cost of living, highlighting a need for stronger collaboration.
Local organizations say collaboration is critical as community needs continue to grow.
At the Jonesboro Human Development Center, officials say demand for services has increased in recent years, creating new challenges for staffing and care.
“We are struggling to hire people to provide hands-on care for adults with disabilities,” said Diane Keith, a nursing home administrator at the facility. “We need employees with a CNA license.”
Keith said the center also maintains a waiting list for services, reflecting a broader need for support across Northeast Arkansas. She said A-State students help fill some of those gaps through internships in nursing, dietetics and speech therapy.
“We receive several A-State students for internships,” Keith said.
Volunteers request roadside donations for the 2022 United Way Day of Caring. More than 500 volunteers attended the event in 2022. Photo courtesy of UWNEA Jonesboro YouTube Channel.
Community leaders say those partnerships are key, but there is still room to grow.
Heather Coats, executive director of United Way, said A-State has already made strong efforts to connect students with the community.
“I think what’s important, and A-State already does a great job of this, is letting students, especially young adults, know what resources are available,” Coats said.
However, she believes the responsibility does not fall solely on the university.
“I think the community could do a better job of being present on campus when it’s not just for sporting events,” Coats said. “We need to have more of a presence that isn’t just about our own entertainment.”
Coats said increased engagement from Jonesboro residents could help integrate students into the community and encourage long-term involvement.
Erin Calhoon, development director for United Way, said improving awareness is essential to strengthening that connection.
“I would say finding ways for people on A-State’s campus to be more aware of what’s available in the community,” Calhoon said.
Student leaders agree that awareness remains one of the biggest barriers.
Jaycee Davis, president of Volunteer A-State, said her organization has made it a priority to connect students with local opportunities.
“Our mission last year was to connect campus to the community,” Davis said. “We had organizations from Jonesboro come to campus, and we introduced ourselves and shared how we could help each other.’
“Our goal this year is to have students make a bigger impact in the Jonesboro community by making them more aware of volunteer opportunities,” Davis said. “So many students don’t know what’s available in Jonesboro.”
Davis said students can get involved through activities like packing food boxes, participating in community events and supporting organizations like Hope Found, which raises awareness about human trafficking.
“Right now, the community gives a lot to the campus, which is great,” Davis said. “But I think our mission moving forward is to give that same energy back.”
Lavonda Evans, an instructor of sociology and criminology at Arkansas State, said differences in age and life experience often shape priorities.
“Students are in that space between being supported by their families and stepping into the real world,” Evans said.
Evans said campus conversations often focus on identity and diversity, while broader community concerns center on economic stability and infrastructure. She said there is a growing shift toward individualism.
“Everything is more individualized and specialized, which creates less collective support,” Evans said. “People tend to focus on their immediate circles rather than the community as a whole.”
Despite those differences, Evans said collaboration is both possible and necessary.
Click to View!
“Jonesboro is already making efforts to connect the campus with the city,” Evans said.
She said projects like walking trails and plans to better link the university to downtown are some examples of this effort.
Evans said expanding paid internships or job-shadowing opportunities could help students gain early experience while strengthening ties to the community.
“Overall, both city and university leaders are making strong efforts to connect students and the community, but there is always room for improvement,” Evans said.
As both sides continue to grow, leaders agree that bridging the gap will require greater awareness, stronger partnerships and a shared commitment to engagement on campus and in the community they will eventually call their own.
St. Bernard’s health care physician Dr. Christina Carl (right) performs a heart and lung auscultation for a patient during a routine wellness exam in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Photo courtesy of St. Bernard’s.
JONESBORO, Ark. — As St. Bernard’s Health Care approaches its 126th anniversary on July 5, leaders say the oganization is balancing a legacy of community care with the growing challenges of modern health care.
St. Bernard’s has been in medicine for 125 years, evolving alongside the social service industry rather than the city, economy, or technology. Kevin Hodges, senior vice president, said rising costs and increasing insurance requirements continue to strain providers in the post-COVID era.
“Every time they add requirements, it adds cost to us,” Hodges said. “Someone has to make sure those requirements are met just for us to get paid. Those are uncompensated burdens.”
Health care systems face high operational costs, including labor, transportation, utilities, and food insecurity. Hodges said balancing expenses while navigating reimbursement challenges has become increasingly difficult. Hodges also noted funding for social service programs has stagnated, often coming from federal and state sources, and emphasized the importance of volunteers from churches, students, and other community groups.
“To have high-level social services in communities, you have to have strong volunteer programs,” he said.
Michael Givens, administrator and chief operating officer, said the vision of the Sisters who founded St. Bernard’s 126 years ago continues to guide the hospital. Over his 25 years, Givens has seen growth in heart care, stroke care, robotic surgery, and technology, including artificial intelligence.
“We already use a system called Rapidan. It works with our CAT scanners to analyze brain scans and quickly identify strokes or aneurysms,” Givens said. “That kind of speed can save lives.”
Givens said St. Bernard’s aims to expand services further, recruit specialists, and become a top-10% hospital in the U.S. Kevin Byron, assistant vice president for Behavioral Health Services, said the rise in mental health issues has driven growth in inpatient and outpatient care. The hospital has 108 beds serving patients with a wide range of needs, from severe psychosis to depression and suicidal thoughts.
Mental health remains central to St. Bernard’s mission, he said, inspired by the founding Sisters. Programs like the recuperative care program at the CSU allow patients to stay up to three months post-discharge, supporting those experiencing homelessness.
“I’ve been in health care for about 27 years, and Jonesboro has grown significantly. As the population grows, so does the need for infrastructure and services,” Byron said. He hopes to create a crisis response team that works with law enforcement and 911 and a psychiatric residency program to train new psychiatrists locally.
Mitchell Nail, media relations manager, said his role has shifted since the pandemic from health guidance to encouraging residents to address health issues early, including finding primary care providers and attending screenings.
Increased awareness of social services has led St. Bernard’s to provide prenatal and postpartum care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Nail said patient stories remain the hospital’s most effective way to connect with the community.
“I want people to see St. Bernard’s as their trusted source for health information and care,” he said. “I want them to feel confident they can find expert guidance and treatment right here in their community.”
Photo courtesy of the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas
As grocery prices climb and paychecks fall short, more Northeast Arkansas families are waiting in food bank lines to make ends meet.
Food insecurity is rising in northeast Arkansas as inflation drives up the cost of groceries, gas and housing, putting increased pressure on local food banks.
The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas secures donations from food and grocery industries, government agencies, individuals and other organizations to provide for people in need. The food is stored in the organization’s 59,600-square-foot distribution facility in Jonesboro.
Terry Austin, a development officer focused on fundraising and communications, said demand for food assistance has increased over the past year due to inflation, rising gas prices and cuts to federal support programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
“Demand has risen already just from the cuts that we’ve taken so far from the economy being in rough shape,” Austin said.
Austin said donors are also feeling financial strain, forcing them to be more cautious with their contributions as they balance their own household expenses. He said the food bank has seen an increase in senior citizens and families seeking assistance.
“Everybody right now is watching gas prices go through the roof,” Austin said. “Everything is more expensive at the grocery store.”
According to Feeding America, about 240,000 people in Arkansas benefit from SNAP, including 113,000 children and 36,000 senior citizens. A University of Arkansas study estimates that 28.8% of Arkansans face food insecurity. “The price of one pound of ground beef is now higher than the federal hourly minimum wage,” Austin said, describing the current conditions as a “perfect storm” of rising costs and reduced assistance.
Austin said he is concerned about the food bank’s ability to meet growing demand as grocery prices continue to rise and federal assistance programs face potential cuts.
“I’m honestly worried about making sure that we’re able to meet the needs that may be coming our way,” Austin said. Feeding America estimates that cuts to SNAP benefits could result in a loss of up to 41 million meals for Arkansas families.
Laura Dunivan, who works on the programs team managing fundraising and grant efforts, said rising costs are bringing more first-time clients to food pantries.
“What used to be occasional support for some families is now something they rely on more heavily,” Dunivan said. “We’re consistently serving more households each month.”
Dunivan said many families use food assistance to fill gaps during financial hardship, allowing them to afford other essentials such as gas, rent or medication.
“Would you sit in a car line for an hour for a box of food if you could just go to Walmart and get it in 10 minutes?” Dunivan said.
She said transportation remains a major barrier in rural communities, where access to food pantries can be limited. To address this, the food bank operates the Nourish Mobile, which delivers fresh produce at no cost to underserved areas. “Some of the people can’t come to the pantries, we have to go out to them,” Dunivan said.
Natalie Neal, the USDA coordinator for the food bank, said federal food programs play a critical role in addressing hunger across the state.
“With the rising price of food, it is more expensive to purchase food, and our neighbors can’t afford everything they need,” Neal said. “It really starts to feel like there’s a greater gap.”
Neal said the food bank has seen a decrease in USDA food shipments, limiting the amount of food available for distribution.
“We are seeing less come into the food bank, so we have less to go out to the community,” Neal said.
She said the organization works with mayors, churches and community partners to expand access and reach new households.
“USDA foods provide a pivotal source of food,” Neal said. “It helps keep food in the pantry to help us all get through difficult times.”
Bonnie Mamula, office manager at the food bank, said rising food costs combined with stagnant incomes are key drivers of food insecurity.
She said senior citizens are especially vulnerable because many live on fixed incomes while expenses continue to rise. “Some counties only have a few pantries, and they’re only open a couple of times a month,” Mamula said. “People in more remote areas have fewer choices.”
Mamula said the food bank is also seeing more working individuals and recently unemployed residents seeking assistance.
“Even people with jobs can’t make ends meet,” Mamula said.
Jennifer Hannah, chief program officer, said inflation has affected not only how many people the organization serves but also the quality of food it can provide.
“If we look at our data over the last few years, what we’re seeing is consistently serving more people,” Hannah said. “Demand is always there; it’s just how urgent it is.”
Hannah said many families fall into a gap where they earn too much to qualify for assistance programs but not enough to consistently support their households.
“It’s not so much changing the services we deliver, it’s changing how much we’re able to deliver,” Hannah said. “When prices go up, the quality of people’s food is going to decrease.”
JONESBORO, Ark. – The Arkansas State University Museum is not only a place where people can see parts of history, but also an educational resource for teachers, professors and students.
Many students spend four or more years at A-State without visiting the museum, missing a valuable interactive educational experience that could help them better understand what they learn in history classes. The museum focuses not only on Arkansas history, but also on preserving and showcasing the history of northeast Arkansas and the Delta region.
The museum serves as an informal learning environment, according to Elisabeth Engel, director of the A-State Museum.
“You don’t have to be here. It’s not like class,” Engel said. “So, you know, we value the people that come through because they’ve made an effort to come see us. We hope that they walk away feeling like that effort to brave campus, find a parking spot, and all of those kinds of things, in our particular environment, was well worth it.”
Students, faculty, staff and Jonesboro residents can visit the museum on their own or book a tour with Jill Kary, curator of education at the museum. For teachers and professors, the experience can be especially valuable.
Lillie Fears, professor and interim director in the School of Media and Journalism, brings her classes to the museum every semester to help students understand historical events in ways a textbook cannot.
“My favorite part about taking students to the museum is seeing their reactions when they see something old that we’ve talked about in class, or that is mentioned in our book or in a documentary. These types of experiences can allow them to step out of present-mindedness and to realize how the tools and technology they use in modern times evolved at different eras in U.S. and world history,” Fears said.
Many groups, Engel said, visit the museum with a specific purpose. For some groups, Engel pulls artifacts from storage and creates a “mini exhibit” tailored to their interests.
Fears prefers tours focused on communication history and artifacts, so Engel often brings out old newspapers, cameras and photographs for her students.
“I really appreciate how the director, Elisabeth Engel, is always willing to bring out old artifacts that pertain to mass communications and provide us with special lectures on the history of these media tools. A textbook or video could never do what she and Jill Kary, education coordinator, do for my classes,”
For some students, a focused tour helps them better understand what they have been learning in class.
“It made a lot of the concepts feel more real. In class, we talk about the history of media, but actually seeing the artifacts and examples in person helped me connect everything more clearly, especially how media has evolved and impacted society,” Kaysen Lomax, a junior creative media production major from Jonesboro, said.
For other students, seeing everything the museum offers gives them a perspective they otherwise might not have considered.
“Yes, I did thoroughly enjoy the tour Dr. Fears took us on. Seeing how passionate Jill Kary was about the black business district was inspirational. I enjoyed looking at all the old pictures of old businesses and equipment/technology, and find it crazy to see how much those things have changed,” Alexander Riggs, a junior creative media major from Forrest City, Arkansas, said.
While the museum serves as a tool for professors on campus, teachers in surrounding school districts also can use it as a resource.
Photo courtesy of Arkansas State University.
Traveling suitcase exhibits are smaller exhibits teachers can check out for two weeks at a time. They offer hands-on materials, visual aids and lesson plans for each exhibit. Teachers can choose from five options, including Pioneer Living, Portals of the Soul: Native American Culture, World War II on the Arkansas Homefront and more.
“All of them are linked to the educational standards that are dictated by the state,” Kary said.
Visitors can also explore the tinkering studio to test whether they have the same innovation skills as people on the Arkansas frontier.
“If the kids have been paying attention, in every gallery they’re seeing innovation happen,” Kary said. “So they are told to invent things, make something, and if it doesn’t work, tweak it, fix it.”
Learning does not just happen in the classroom; it can happen in many places, including the museum. And learning is not just for students. Anyone who visits the museum is welcome, whether for a specific purpose or simply for fun.
Delta Digital News Service 