House of Bread to give away food
House of Bread Deliverance Church, 1501 W. Second Ave., will hold its monthly food giveaway Saturday from 11 a.m. until all food boxes or bags are gone. Participants must show proof of address which must be at least a driver’s license, identification or utility bills. All new clients will fill out a new intake form on site, according to a news release. Details: Saint Mary Harris, senior pastor, (870) 872-2196.
UAPB drama students set play
The John McLinn Ross Players at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff will present “The Spaces We Keep” at 7 p.m. March 19-21 and 3 p.m. March 22 in Caldwell Hall Auditorium.
“The Spaces We Keep unfolds in poignant snapshots of three Black men from different walks of life,” according to a news release. “Through personal narratives and poetic interludes, the production examines vulnerability, love, and emotional truth, inviting audiences to witness the shared humanity that exists across lived experiences.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Co-written by Taijee Bunch, UAPB’s theater instructor, and UAPB student Jackson Williams, this production offers audiences explorations of identity, vulnerability and community, according to the release.
UAPB students participating include Kasey Rowland, Arin Bell and Marcel Haynes. The public is invited to attend the John McLinn Ross Players’ production.
All performances are “pay what you can,” according to the release. Tickets are available at the on-site box office. For parking information, email buncht@uapb.edu.
Content Advisory: This production contains language that may not be suitable for all audiences.
Rice farmers, insurance survey topic
Arkansas rice farmers are being asked about their participation in crop insurance programs by a researcher who expects their input could help shape future crop insurance programs.
“Arkansas is the nation’s top rice-growing state, and we value the opinions and decisions of our rice growers where crop insurance is concerned,” said Ryan Loy, assistant professor and extension agricultural economics specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“We want to understand the types of insurance and coverage that a rice farmer in the Arkansas Delta adopts and why,” Loy said in a news release. “Those perceptions and attitudes are critical to us as agricultural economists and to policymakers.”
The survey is open to Arkansas farmers aged 18 and older for whom rice is a principal crop. Completing the survey should take about 15 minutes, and no identifying information will be collected.
“The questions only pertain to acreage and crop insurance on your farm, with one question being your willingness to pay for a product,” Loy said. “This study’s results will be completely anonymous.”
Loy is asking that farmers complete the survey by July 31.
“Our hope is that these results can help motivate potential improvements in the federal crop insurance program,” Loy said. “Farmers should take part to help us tell the story and help improve farm safety nets.”
Details: Ryan Loy at rloy@uark.edu.
Toys for Tots promotes literacy
The United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Literacy Program is one of the many initiatives that helps make the Toys for Tots Program a year-round force for good, according to a news release.
Other projects include the Youth Ambassador Program, the Foster Care Initiative, the Disaster Relief Program, Native American Program and Annual Christmas Campaign.
“We don’t just deliver toys, games, and other gifts at Christmas Time. We also deliver books and educational resources to Title 1 Schools, local libraries, and directly to youth, 0-18, at area events in local communities. These books have the propensity to help spark curiosity, ignite imagination, nurture one’s soul, and inspire a lifelong love of reading and learning,” according to the release.
With the community’s assistance in 2025, the Toys for Tots Literacy Program serving Cleveland, Dallas, Jefferson and Lincoln counties provided 5,908 books to area youth, 0-18. Plus, some of those books helped enhance the Summer Reading Programs at libraries.
“We would greatly appreciate your continued support to make this a reality in 2026 as well,” the release states. “We are currently holding a Spring Book Drive through April. We are seeking reading books, picture books, cookbooks, activity books, and Christian fiction and non-fiction for youth in need, at-risk youth, and youth in foster care for all ages, 0-18.”
New books can be dropped off at area libraries, the Cleveland County Herald Office, Rison Pharmacy, JB Speedy Burger, Ephesus Bookstore, McFarland Eye Care, Cable Lynx and Oliver Furniture.
The program also accepts toys, games, puzzles and other donations. Checks, cashier’s checks or money orders can be made out to Toys for Tots and sent to TfT Coordinator Matthew Yarnell, P.O. Box 199, Rison, AR, 71665, or dropped off at the Cleveland County Hearld Office or Rison United Methodist Church. People can also donate online at this website. All donations are tax-deductible.