200kreasons.arumc.org200,000 More Reasons | Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church

Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Instagram RSS Our Conference Dismantling Racism Initiative #LiveWithLight About Us Find a Church Bishop Gary E. Mueller Bishop’s Mission Plan District Offices Contact Us Our Ministries 200,000 More Reasons Archives & History Camping/Retreat Ministries Campus Ministries Children’s Ministry Connectional Ministries Commission on the Status and Role of Women DisAbility Ministries Lay Servant Ministries United Methodist Men United Methodist Women Volunteers in Mission / Disaster Response Youth / Young Adults Our News Latest News Arkansas United Methodist Bishop Mueller’s Daily Devotional Appointments Obituaries Ministry Lab Podcast Our Resources COVID-19 Response Administrative Services Board of Ordained Ministry Communications CouRSe E-mail Login Exploring Your Call Event Calendar Forms and Documents Jobs Pastors In Transition Safe Sanctuaries Webinars Conference Sessions Annual Conference 2021 Postponed General Conference 2020 SCJ Conference 2020 Select Page 200K More Reasons Home Giving Books for Love Media Kit Literacy Stability Hunger Resources for Children and Youth Grants Awarded Updated Best Practices for Food & Meal Distributions Giving Books for Love Campaign Virtual Learning Grants - Online Virtual Learning Grants - PDF In 2014, the Annual Conference voted to unite in mission to fight childhood hunger in Arkansas. Over the past 6 years, we have seen the number of food insecure children in Arkansas drop from 200,000 to 162,270 . 86% of our churches (540) have or are providing food to hungry children and their families, and 200,000 More Reasons has distributed more than $200,000 in small grant awards to help support congregations in their feeding ministries. Feeding ministries allow families to spend their limited income on other necessities like rent and utilities. However, the relief is temporary in so many cases. More needs to be done to significantly move the needle on childhood hunger. We are asking the Arkansas Annual Conference to approve an expansion and extension of the work we have begun. As 200,000 More Reasons, we are asking churches to add poverty alleviation strategies to their ministries with hungry children. Specifically, we will focus on literacy and promoting healthy, stable families as means of hope and assistance for families to move out of poverty. Our mission remains the same: 100% of Arkansas United Methodist churches will participate in an initiative to significantly reduce childhood hunger through feeding ministries, public witness and education for long-term stability. 200,000 More Reasons Objectives  Nutrition 200,000 More Reasons will continue fighting childhood hunger through the 5 Action Areas – Feed, Provide, Garden, Teach & Public Witness.  Literacy 200,000 More Reasons will provide literacy support so that every child in food insecure homes can read at grade level.  Stability 200,000 More Reasons will offer ministries to the adults in the lives of food insecure children that promote a healthy and stable family life. The Methodist Foundation awarded 200,000 More Reasons the largest grant ever by the Foundation to strategically fight childhood hunger in the Arkansas Delta. These persistently impoverished counties have the highest rates of food insecurity in Arkansas. This three-year grant of $477,000 will: Provide $96,000 each year for mobile distributions in partnership with local United Methodist congregations and the Arkansas Food Bank Provide $28,000 in the first year to pilot 1-3 summer literacy experiences with the ability to add more ministries each year. Provide $25,000 in grant awards for churches around the state to add literacy and reading support to feeding ministries. Support the hiring of the Delta Community Project Coordinator to offer support to these summer literacy experiences and to explore starting a Project Transformation (summer literacy intern experience) in Arkansas. Have an Existing Ministry? Already have a ministry that provides Nutrition, Literacy or Stability to low income children or the adults in their families? Click Here Want Email Updates? Click the button below to sign up for email updates on 200,000 More Reasons! Click Here Creating vital congregations that make disciples of Jesus Christ, who make disciples equipped and sent to transform lives, communities and the world! Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church 800 West Daisy Bates Drive Little Rock, AR 72202 communications@arumc.org (501) 324-8000 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Instagram RSS © Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church...