While the number of volunteers assisting at the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank was down in 2017, the number of volunteer hours increased.

Volunteers put in 9,023 hours working various jobs at the Food Bank, said Trina Wilson, volunteer coordinator at the Food Bank. That’s up 1,000 hours from 2016.

In 2017, 1,852 volunteers helped at the Food Bank, while 2,001 volunteers assisted a year ago.

“I was very happy with the volunteers coming back on a regular basis,” said Wilson. “Our volunteers are very dedicated to their work, which entails a variety of tasks.”

There were four regular individuals and three regular monthly groups coming to the Food Bank. The groups were the First United Methodist Church, the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from Northwest Arkansas and a Walmart team from direct imports in Bentonville.

The volunteers will help sort produce, bread and meat, as well as stock shelves and label cans, she said.

The volunteers will be recognized at a breakfast on Tuesday, April 24, with the theme of “Squash the Hunger.”

In addition, the volunteers pack more than 600 boxes monthly that are distributed through the senior mobile food program, which are distributed at eight sites in Washington, Benton and Madison.

In 2017, the senior mobile food box programs served 5,414 households, reaching 8,536 individuals in those households.