Lincoln Announces $400,000 Grant to Improve Access to USDA Programs for Arkansas Rural Communities

Press Release

U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced today that Life Options of Eastern Arkansas will receive a $400,000 grant to help communities in Arkansas access U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and resources. The funding is provided through the USDA Strike Force Effort which is a pilot program initiative being tested in Arkansas.

"As Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am proud to bring a pilot program like this to Arkansas as we look for better ways to provide resources and information to rural communities that need it the most," said Lincoln. "This funding will improve outreach efforts to Arkansas's poorest communities, giving them greater opportunities to tap into the economic development tools that USDA has to offer."

"We applaud USDAs commitment to improving living conditions and increasing access to resources for underserved rural communities. This project will extend the reach of USDA programs into underserved communities across rural Arkansas," said Claude Barnes, Executive Director of Life Options.

The Strike Force Effort is a plan that links USDA staff with Community Based Organizations in order to carry USDA programs into communities with limited resources and information.

Lincoln helped deliver the funds through her role as Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. A representative from Lincoln's committee staff made the announcement at an event in Hughes today.

Counties that will benefit from the grant include Bradley, Chicot, Columbia, Crittenden, Desha, Jefferson, Lee, Lincoln, Mississippi, Monroe, Poinsett, Lafayette, Nevada, Newton, Phillips, Searcy, St. Francis and Woodruff.

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