MOUNTAIN HOME, AR – The Food Bank of North Central Arkansas (FBNCA) has received a $4,250 incentive from Entergy Arkansas for completing energy-efficiency projects through the Entergy Solutions Core Continuous Energy Improvement (CEI) initiative. The organization can turn every dollar into seven meals, this incentive translates into an estimated 29,750 meals for children, families and seniors across north central Arkansas.
FBNCA earned the incentive by attending Core CEI workshops and implementing energy-saving measures, like setting back thermostats on nights and weekends and powering down computers and printers when they’re not in use. By keeping those habits in place, the Food Bank cut its annual electricity usage by 3.5%, freeing up funds that would have gone toward utility costs to instead go toward its mission of feeding those in need.
The savings come at a critical time. According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap, 1 in 3 children and 1 in 4 adults across FBNCA’s service area are food insecure, meaning they don’t always know where their next meal will come from. For a food bank working to close that gap, every dollar not spent on a utility bill is a dollar that can go back into groceries, meals and hope for a neighbor in need.
“These savings mean nearly 30,000 more meals for families across north central Arkansas who are counting on us. Something as simple as adjusting a thermostat or turning off a printer at night is now helping us close the meal gap for the one in three children and one in four adults in our region who don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” said Jeff Quick, CEO of the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas.
“The Food Bank of North Central Arkansas does vital work for its community, and we’re proud to support that mission by helping them save on energy costs. Every dollar they don’t spend on electricity is a dollar that goes further towards ending hunger,” said Mark Martin, customer service manager for Entergy Arkansas.
Entergy Arkansas’ Core CEI is an offering of the Entergy Solutions program that helps organizations identify energy savings specific to their buildings, prioritize a range of energy conservation measures, and achieve long-term electricity savings. The initiative starts with people, focusing on low- and no-cost behavioral and operational changes, like powering down equipment during breaks and adjusting thermostats on nights and weekends, backed by on-site energy scans, collaborative workshops and ongoing coaching.
Organizations earn incentives for completing qualifying energy-efficiency projects and improving efficiency throughout their operations. For more information on the program or to enroll, email [email protected]. To learn more about how Entergy Arkansas can help your business save energy, visit entergysolutionsar.com.
About Food Bank of North Central Arkansas
The Food Bank of North Central Arkansas has served the region for more than four decades, growing from a small soup kitchen founded in 1982 into an Affiliate Member of Feeding America that distributes more than 4.5 million pounds of food annually. Guided by its mission of Building Bridges from Hunger to Hope, FBNCA partners with hunger-relief organizations across north central Arkansas to meet immediate food needs while providing education and training to address hunger’s root causes. Learn more at foodbanknca.org.
About Entergy Arkansas
Entergy Arkansas provides electricity to approximately 738,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Arkansas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy generates, transmits and distributes electricity to power life for more than 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re focused on keeping costs for our customers as low as possible while providing reliable energy that our communities count on. We’re also investing in growth for the future with a more resilient, cleaner energy system that includes modern natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy generation. As a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship, we deliver more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to the communities we serve through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at EntergyArkansas.com and connect with @EntergyARK on social media.
