BATESVILLE — Batesville Help and Hope, an agency that provides food and clothing to those in need in Independence County, serves around 2,000 people per month.
John Peek has been a volunteer at the agency for over a year and became director of operations in March.
Peek said giving back to the community is his favorite part of the job.
“You hear stories about the hardships people have faced, and that pulls at your heartstrings and reaffirms the work you’re doing,” he said.
Batesville Help and Hope operates a food pantry and a clothing center, with the help of volunteers.
Peek said the food pantry is the most significant part of the operation.
Eligible people can come in and pick up a box of food once a month, and the size of the box correlates with the size of the family, he said.
Peek said eligible patrons are people who meet federal poverty guidelines and live in Independence County. People requesting assistance are asked to provide documentation to verify their residence and income levels, along with photo identification.
Peek said the agency also provides emergency boxes of food for people with immediate needs, such as families who have experienced a house fire.
A clothing center is also operated by the agency, and people are provided clothing cards that allow them to get a certain number of items each month.
“Sometimes people will donate toys and books to us. We have a children’s book section and an adult book section. There’s an honor system in place, and people are able to take books out for a month and return them at their leisure,” Peek said.
Peek also mentioned that the agency added a classroom in January and plans to have workshops available regularly on-site by the end of the year.
“We’re looking for local agencies or institutions that would like to offer informational sessions here,” he said.
The impact of the agency on the community is significant, and Batesville Help and Hope operates one of the larger food pantries in the state, he said.
He said the agency receives food donations from Walmart, Kroger, the United States Department of Agriculture and local businesses, along with significant funding from the United Way.
“A third of the food we pass out is purchased through the food bank in Little Rock at a discount,” Peek said.
Local churches also contribute to the food pantry and host fundraisers, he said.
Peek said he expects the agency to do more structured fundraising within the next few months.
“We’re always in need of volunteers,” Peek said. “People who will give their time, treasure or talents are appreciated.”
Volunteers can help during the day or in the evening hours.
Nona Floyd, a desk volunteer at Batesville Help and Hope, has worked with the agency since 1998.
Aside from working at the desk and registering people into the system, Floyd has spent time working in the clothing department.
Floyd said she began working at the agency after a friend asked her to work in her place while she had surgery.
Floyd never left the agency and said she enjoys helping people.
She said the agency has a tremendous impact on the community, especially the elderly and handicapped.
“We’re able to provide people with good nutritious food and clothing,” she said.
Floyd said she’s glad the agency is able to help people with temporary needs as well.
“Sometimes people who’ve been laid off at work just need us for a month or two,” Floyd said.
It’s important to make people feel welcome and free of judgment, she said.
“The most important part of my job is treating people with dignity and not making them feel like they’ve failed in some way because they have to come here,” Floyd said.
“We believe in compassion for everyone,” she added. “When people are in need, I’m glad we can help them.”
Floyd said it’s impressive that she lives in a community where people care about others and are willing to volunteer time and effort to make life easier for those around them.
She said everybody at the agency is a volunteer.
“We work with a lot of good people,” Floyd said.
“Many of us have worked or lived here for extended periods of time,” Peek said, “and we like to give back to the community. That’s a key motivating factor.”
Staff writer Kayla Baugh can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or kbaugh@arkansasonline.com.