FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS HARVEST TEXARKANA?
Harvest Texarkana is the only food rescue program in the four states area.

WHAT IS A FOOD RESCUE PROGRAM?
We secure food donations from area restaurants, caterers, grocery stores and other food providers. The food we collect is excess, edible food that would otherwise be discarded.

HOW MUCH FOOD IS WASTED?
According to national statistics, over 5 million pounds of edible food goes to waste in Texarkana every year. In 2005, we rescued over 601,000 pounds of food, which provided over 470,000 free meals in our community.

HOW DOES HARVEST TEXARKANA DIFFER FROM A FOOD BANK?
A food bank receives tractor-trailer loads of donated food. Agencies and churches then go to the food bank’s warehouse and PURCHASE food.

Harvest Texarkana delivers our food donations and we do not charge any fees for our services or our food. We also require that our food be given out for free. Most of our recipient agencies could not feed the number of people they do without help from Harvest Texarkana and they certainly can’t afford to pay for the food.

WHAT ABOUT STATE OR FEDERAL MONEY?
All of our funding is private. We rely on financial donations from individuals, local businesses, corporations, foundation grants and UNITED WAY FUNDING.

When you give to Harvest Texarkana, you are actually helping 27 area soup kitchens, shelters and other hunger relief agencies.