Little Rock has been selected as one of 14 cities to participate in the CHAMPS: Cities Combating Hunger Leadership Academy in Kansas City, Mo.
The city will partner with the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and the Central Arkansas Library System in the effort.
CHAMPS stands for Cities Combating Hunger through Afterschool and Summer Meal Programs.
During the leadership academy, participants will learn the requirements for receiving federal dollars to implement after-school and summer meal programs and best practices for increasing the use of the programs. Field experts will talk about broadening relationships with peer cities.
By participating in the academy, Little Rock will be eligible to receive a grant of up to $150,000 and technical assistance from the National League of Cities to develop an anti-hunger campaign to expand out-of-school meal programs.
Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola is the president of the National League of Cities.
Other cities selected are Mesa, Arizona; Inglewood, Calif.; Miami, Fla.; Miami Gardens, Fla.; St. Louis, Mo.; Jackson, Miss.; Durham, N.C.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; Henderson, Nev.; Allentown, Penn.; Denton, Tex.; Waco, Tex.; and Spokane, Wash.