Healthy Connections, a Federally-Qualified Health Center serving Arkansas communities for more than 25 years, is proud to sponsor the 25th Annual THV11 Summer Cereal Drive—a statewide campaign to combat childhood hunger during the critical summer months. Organized by THV11 and the Arkansas Foodbank, the drive seeks to collect 500,000 boxes of cereal and other breakfast items for children and families in need.
Launched in 2000 by Chief Meteorologist Tom Brannon, the Summer Cereal Drive has become one of Arkansas’s most impactful hunger relief efforts. Over the past 25 years, more than 4 million boxes of cereal have been donated thanks to the generosity of Arkansans. This year’s anniversary drive is going bigger than ever, with THV11 visiting 25 community locations throughout the month of June—including a major stop in Hot Springs on June 17.
At Healthy Connections, that mission hits home.
“Our commitment to the communities we serve goes beyond the clinic walls,” said Jeffrey Slatton, Business Communications and Marketing Manager at Healthy Connections. “That’s why we’re proud to support the Summer Cereal Drive. This is a natural extension of our mission—and of our three pillars: Community, Compassion, and Excellence. We live these values every day, and this effort reflects exactly what they mean in action.”
How to Donate Through Healthy Connections
All Healthy Connections clinic locations are official drop-off sites for the Summer Cereal Drive. We encourage patients, staff, and community members to bring donations of shelf-stable breakfast items through Saturday, June 15. These donations will be collected and presented to the Arkansas Foodbank at the Hot Springs community event on June 17, where Healthy Connections staff will also be on hand to assist with the drive.
Items that count as donations include:
- Boxes of dry cereal
- Instant oatmeal packets
- Granola bars
- Toaster pastries (like Pop-Tarts)
- Shelf-stable breakfast drinks or milk alternatives
All donated items should be unopened, not expired, nutritious, and kid-friendly.
Why It Matters
When school is out for summer, thousands of Arkansas children lose access to the regular meals they receive during the school year. That creates a gap that many families struggle to fill. The Summer Cereal Drive is designed to help close that gap—and give every child a healthy start to their day.
“This isn’t just about donating cereal—it’s about standing with our neighbors,” said Slatton. “When school meals disappear during the summer, too many Arkansas kids are left without a reliable breakfast. We want families to know their community is behind them.”
While the overall campaign runs through June 27, Healthy Connections will only accept donations at its clinics until June 15 to ensure they are delivered in time for the statewide presentation in Hot Springs.
For more information about the Summer Cereal Drive, including a list of statewide drop-off events and ways to participate, visit:
https://www.thv11.com/article/news/community/25th-annual-thv11-summer-cereal-drive/91-b10a2f14-8d78-474e-ab63-4330db53f406
