Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

With the help of customers and community members, Arvest Bank’s Million Meals initiative was able to exceed its campaign goal by raising a record total of 2.4 million meals in the fight against hunger.

This is the second consecutive year for a record total of meals raised. Launched in 2011, Arvest’s Million Meals campaigns have raised a nine-year total of 16,068,971 meals, which includes more than $2.8 million in funds given directly to the bank’s dozens of local food partners.

This year’s campaign total of 2,468,873 meals was made possible through donations from the bank, Arvest associates, customers and community members through fundraisers, events and nonperishable food drives in all Arvest branches throughout April and May.

Arvest Bank in Bartlesville partnered with Catholic Charities Mary Martha Outreach for the bank’s Million Meals initiative.

The organization received all local donations, and this year 41,600 total meals were provided in Bartlesville. All money and food items raised through this campaign directly benefitted 70-plus organizations feeding local communities in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

The bank’s decision to provide one million meals was based on the fact hunger is an issue in every community it serves. In 2017, 11.8 percent of American households were food-insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources.