Arkansas has been named the most food insecure state in the United States in 2025. 

Arkansas, along with Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky and South Carolina, has a level of food insecurity that is above the national average: 12.2 percent according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Arkansas’ level of food insecurity is at 18.9%, meaning that roughly 1 in every 5 households deals with food insecurity.

Much of this is likely due to the fact that there are many areas in Arkansas that are considered to be food deserts, meaning that those areas do not have easy access to fresh foods due to many things – one being the lack of supermarkets.

Michael Barnett, the secretary of media and leader of local organizing care for the Conway area for the Committee of Labor for Arkansas Workers (CLAW), said, “I believe the majority of rural counties and communities are food deserts… you can’t really get fresh food within 30 miles or something like that.”

Many households in these areas are reliant on foods that will stay good for long periods of time such as chips or preservatives, many of which do not contribute much to overall nutrition.

Sarah Wilson, the executive director for Conway Ministry Center, said, “Arkansas struggles with food insecurity for a number of reasons. Lack of access to food, especially in our rural areas… low income jobs that don’t offer Arkansans a livable wage. Statistics show us that many families that qualify for government programs… aren’t being applied for.”

Wilson said If you are struggling with food insecurity there are many resources available to you in Conway.

“It’s so important in our community for people to know where to turn during their moment of crisis,” Wilson said.

Barnett said, “Everything is getting priced out… car maintenance is more expensive, medical issues are more expensive… so costs are being eaten up, you have people who rent who are deciding [between paying rent and having food].”

Barnett said, “We go door to door… we put up flyers and stuff like that… we rely on word of mouth [to raise awareness about CLAW].”

The University of Central Arkansas has a food pantry on campus that is available to all students, staff and faculty, all that is needed to receive its services is a BearCard.

There are also many organizations that are offering help to those who are struggling with food insecurity. 

One of these is the Conway Ministry Center and another is CLAW.

CLAW delivers grocery boxes, usually full of about $50 worth of groceries ranging from baby formula to fruits and vegetables.

Last year the Conway Ministry Center provided assistance to over 1,000 households and 2,374 people in total.

Wilson said that the Conway Ministry Center has been supporting the local areas for the last twelve years by opening up a food pantry. 

Wilson said, “[Our pantry] is a client-choice pantry in which shoppers can access the aisles of our grocery store and select the types of groceries that they would want for their individual needs.”

Conway Ministry Center also offers help to the community with their Restore and Rapid Rehousing programs and their “Hub” program.

Wilson said, “[The Hub] offers a daily meal as well as access to clothing, tents, sleeping bags, hygiene items and specialized case management.”

Within the coming months CLAW plans to set up warming stations where they will offer people soup or stew along with clothes and other necessities for surviving the harsh weather conditions out on the streets.