HJAR Jul/Aug 2023

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JUL / AUG 2023 43 Jennifer Dillaha, MD Director Arkansas Department of Health TheArkansas Department of Human Ser- vices’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides assistance in pur- chasing food for those in eligible households by covering part of their food budget and helping with nutritional education. SNAP additionally provides an Employ- ment and Training program, which pro- motes self-sufficiency through employ- ment. Through this program, eligible SNAP participants can gain education and skills necessary to find jobs by participation in work programs and academic education and training activities like General Education Development (GED), Basic Skills Educa- tion Program (BSEP), English as a second language education, and apprenticeships and internships training. SNAP is available in all 75 counties. Food insecurity is a continuing challenge for many inArkansas. These programs and organizations are working to address it in multiple ways. I encourage you to become familiar with the resources available in your community, get involved in supporting them, and connect people to the help they need. For more information on ways to combat food insecurity, please visit: • WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) Arkansas Department of Health: www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs- services/topics/wic. • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP): humanservices.arkansas.gov/ divisions-shared-services/county- operations/supplemental-nutrition- assistance-snap. • The Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance: arhungeralliance.org . • Arkansas Center for Health Improve- ment: achi.net. • Natural Wonders: archildrens.org/ natural-wonders. n REFERENCES 1 U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Food Se- curity in the U.S.: Key Statisics & Graphics.” Last updated Oct. 17, 2022. https://www.ers . usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/ food-security-in-the-u-s/key-statistics- graphics/#:~:text=Estimated%20prevalence%20 rate s%20o f %20 food%20 in s ec u ri t y%20 during%20this,in%20North%20Dakota%20 to%206.3%20percent%20in%20Arkansas. 2 Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. “Food Deserts in Arkansas.” https://achi.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/11/221116A_Food-Des- erts-Fact-Sheet-Update.pdf. supporting food banks and pantries, par- ticipating in the Northwest Arkansas Com- munity of Practice for Food Insecurity, and screening the families of their patients for food insecurity and connecting them to emergency and sustainable food resources, ACH is working to address food insecurity for children and their families. For Arkan- sas Children’s, food insecurity is a primary priority. ACH has a coalition of stakeholders, the Natural Wonders Partnership Council, whose goal is to improve children’s health in the state. One of the focuses of the coali- tion is food insecurity. The coalition main- tains the Natural Wonders Building Com- munityAssets workgroup, which promotes sustainable solutions to food insecurity by improving access to year-round USDAchild and adult nutrition programs, expanding state and federal hunger relief advocacy, expanding nutrition education program- ming, and building awareness about nutri- tion resources. The Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance (AHRA) is another organization working to end food insecurity in the state. Founded as theArkansas Hunger Coalition in 2001 with the mission “to examine and improve the existing charitable food distribution system in Arkansas,” the organization formally be- came the AHRA in 2008. AHRA advocates for food policy, pro- motes nutrition education, raises awareness of the impact of hunger in Arkansas, and encourages schools to increase breakfast participation for students. The organization also has a program focused on improving access to food for children. The No Kid Hun- gry program seeks to connect Arkansas chil- dren to federal food and nutrition programs.