KATV 7 NEWS: Conway Ministry Center fights Arkansas food insecurity with pantry, meals and resources.
by Kylon Williams | Isley Gooden
Article Link
Posted Mon, September 14, 2026 at 3:42 PM
CONWAY, Ark. (KATV) — If you’ve ever looked at your grocery receipt and wondered how it got so long so fast, you’re not alone, and a Conway nonprofit is working to make sure families don’t have to face that stress without help.
Arkansas has the highest rate of food insecurity in the nation, and the Conway Ministry Center is taking a practical, people-first approach to tackling it. The organization serves people across five counties, focusing not only on hunger, but also on housing insecurity and other challenges facing families in financial crisis.
Board President Spring Hunter said the ministry’s programs are built to meet immediate needs while also helping families get out of “financial crisis.” One key piece is its food pantry, which is set up like a grocery store so people can choose what works for their household. The pantry offers nutritious food along with hygiene items and baby items.
Beyond the pantry shelves, the ministry is also trying to answer a bigger question: What’s keeping Arkansans from accessing the resources meant to help them?
Sarah Wilson, executive director, said case managers are trained to assess what families need and help them navigate systems that can be difficult to access. She pointed to SNAP as one example, saying many people qualify but still aren’t able to get enrolled. She said the ministry’s case managers can ask the right questions, understand how to work through the process and help people get where they need to go to sign up for programs.
The need has been growing, especially as food prices rise. Wilson said the ministry gives out about 50 warm meals every single day, and the year-to-year increase has been dramatic.
Wilson said last year the organization served around 5,000 meals for the year. This year, it has already reached 11,000 meals, and that was as of the ninth month of the year, showing what she called an upward trend in food distributions.
The services are free to the community, and the ministry is supported entirely through donations, churches and small community grants. Hunter added that local businesses also help, and the ministry works to reclaim food that would otherwise be thrown away at the end of the day from buffets and restaurants and get it to people who are hungry.
The Conway Ministry Center aims to keep barriers low for anyone who needs help. Wilson said if a family is hungry today, even if they were doing fine last week or last year, they can come in for immediate relief, and then staff can talk with them about what’s going on.
The ministry’s store is located at 225 East Robins St. in Conway. A second location is at the Refuge shelter. Warm meals are available Monday through Friday, and pantry shopping is available on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
For anyone feeling hesitant or embarrassed about asking for help, Wilson offered encouragement: “Absolutely. Please do not hesitate.” She said staff want to serve and “walk with folks,” and that the goal is to offer choice, support and “instill a little dignity into their story.”
2025 Storehouse Pantry Impact by the Numbers
174,211 pounds of food distributed
11,212 visits
4,163 individuals served
6,374 daily meals provided