Kum & Go and the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank are partnering on a pilot program in nine stores in Northwest Arkansas with the intent of bringing on all of its stores by the end of the year. The program launched May 7.

“The fresh market sections of the Kum & Go convenience stores have prepared foods such as sandwiches, corn dogs, burgers,” said Austin Harms, retail coordinator at the Food Bank. “Many of the items are not resalable, but are a great resource for our partners to provide the community.”

These items along with possibly beverages, jerky and chips, could be made available for senior homeless people because the products are ready-made and easy to hand out, he said. In many cases, homeless people are not able to cook so a ready-made meal is helpful.

Drivers from the Food Bank will be running a route three days a week to pick up the food items from Kum & Go stores in Springdale, Lowell and Rogers, he added.

Kum & Go is looking to improve its partnership with Feeding America, of which the Food Bank is a member, and it launched a pilot program in 2017.

“We are now part of the pilot program,” Harms added. In Arkansas, stores in Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock are participating.