CEO Christie Jordan Reflects on 25 Years at Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas

Jordan’s efforts led to an $8 million Donald W. Reynolds Foundation grant that funded a 56,000-SF food distribution center that opened in 2012.

You’ve been CEO for 25 years. What attracted you to the job and what has kept you there for so long?

For a few years, I said I was an accidental food banker. After graduating from college, I was offered a job with another nonprofit organization that has a national presence. After about 18 months on the job the organization downsized, and my job was cut. I was recently engaged and newly unemployed. I didn’t know what I was going to do. A lady who volunteered with both the organization for which I had worked as well as the Food Bank told me about the position at the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. Until that time, I didn’t know what a food bank was, much less that we had one in Jonesboro. I submitted my resume and was called for an interview. In hindsight I can honestly say that God led me to the job at the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. I was young and naïve, but I believe I was called to do this work. Obviously, my passion for the mission is part of the reason for my longevity in this position, but I also loved the immense opportunities for growth that I saw for the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. Twenty-five years later, and I’ve finally checked off all the major goals that I set for the organization.

How have supply chain difficulties affected how you source food?

The Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas depends on donated food for our programs. When grocery stores have difficulty keeping their shelves stocked due to supply chain issues, that typically means that manufacturers do not have surplus items to donate to the charitable food system. Manufacturing donations to our organization have dropped 24% compared to last year. Overall, food donations from all channels have decreased by 8% compared to last year.

How is the high cost of food affecting your operations?

If the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas does not receive the donated food needed for programs, we must purchase the needed food items. Just like the consumer at a local grocery store, our food purchase budget doesn’t go as far as it did 12 months ago. This means our organization must raise more money to purchase the food we planned to distribute through our programs.   

The federal farm bill plays an important role in hunger relief. What are you looking for as Congress takes up the new version of the bill next year?

The farm bill is the nation’s most significant legislation to reduce and end hunger in the United States. Major anti-hunger programs in the farm bill include the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Some of these programs have a direct impact on our work at the Food Bank. TEFAP and CSFP provide an average of 25%-30% of the food distributed by the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas each year. This nutritious food is purchased from U.S. farms and also plays a role in stabilizing commodity prices. Other impacts are indirect such as SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. Last year more than $900 million in SNAP benefits were redeemed in Arkansas. For every one meal that the charitable food system distributes, SNAP provides nine meals.  

Feeding America food banks are asking Congress to include in the farm bill:

• Strengthen TEFAP by authorizing $500 million per year for food purchases, $200 million for TEFAP storage and distribution, and $15 million for infrastructure grants.

• Strengthen and protect SNAP by streamlining the enrollment process and eligibility while ensuring benefits are adequate to meet the need.

• Reauthorize and strengthen CSFP by streamlining reporting and increasing partnerships with growers and producers.

How can we fix the state’s hunger problem?

The root causes of food insecurity are complex. Generational poverty, lack of education and low-wage jobs are some of the root causes of food insecurity in Arkansas. While there is ample food in Arkansas to provide enough food for all families in our state, a major issue is equitable access to food. Solving the root causes of food insecurity will need strong long-term partnerships between public and private entities. One of the biggest short-term opportunities for Arkansas to impact equitable access to food is to stop penalizing low-income families and make changes to the state-imposed regulations to the SNAP program. We must make the SNAP application less burdensome and raise the asset limit for SNAP recipients to give families resources to provide better opportunities for their families.    

What is your best leadership tip for nonprofit leaders?

Nonprofit leaders should collaborate more. A nonprofit leader is tasked with ensuring their organization has enough funds to operate. Many times this leads to a scarcity mentality because other nonprofits may be viewed as competitors for funding. But when organizations collaborate new opportunities arise — innovative ideas, better options for the people we serve, bigger impact and sometimes new funding.