Why Serve in Arkansas?

Deemed “The Natural State,” Arkansas is a hidden gem full of friendly folks, fantastic food, and natural experiences that you can’t find anywhere else. We’re that state between Texas and Mississippi, a bit off the beaten path, but we like it that way. While large-scale farming of corn, soybeans, rice, and poultry play important roles in our state economy, we also boast a strong gardening culture. For many people in the rural parts of our state, gardening used to, and still does, mean not only survival, but a labor of love. Our school gardens honor these traditions while cultivating healthy futures for our kids. 

To us, Southern culture means good food, good people, and fierce devotion to the land. These sentiments have made Arkansas a culturally diverse and welcoming home for those who serve with us. In districts across the state, our service members have helped to host taste tests and farm to school events that have now developed into long-term relationships with farmers and permanent farm to  school programs. 

What does this look like day to day? This looks like dedicated service members hosting hands-on culturally relevant activities in the garden, classroom and cafeteria, hosting camps and clubs, and engaging deeply in their communities. Sprinkle in the occasional chicken, too; there really is nothing better!