FORT SMITH, Ark. — School officials in small western Arkansas districts are looking for ways to replace the pending loss of a program that provided food at no cost to needy students.
The Arkansas Rice Depot told districts in Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Scott and Sebastian counties that it will eliminate on Jan. 1 the program that provides food for students to take home each weekend.
The Times Record reports that the Rice Depot said in an email that it's focusing on increasing the impact of its food distribution and that it considered the availability of other hunger relief organizations in those areas.
Lamar schools Superintendent Roy Hester said replacing the program in his approximately 100-student district would cost about $300 a week. Other school officials are turning to local churches for help.