Engineered Rigging Fights Childhood Hunger

Did you know one in four children in the Arkansas River Valley faces hunger on a regular basis? The problem is more acute during the summer, when school cafeterias close and the meals that many children depend on disappear. This year, Engineered Rigging renewed its sponsorship of 100 children for the River Valley Food 4 Kids (RVF4K) 10-week Summer Food 4 Kids Program.

The $7,500 sponsorship ensures each participating family receives a weekly meal kit filled with fresh Arkansas-grown produce, protein, whole grains and kid-friendly snacks (see photo). To reach rural and underserved communities where access to food is limited, pickup points are strategically located in Atkins, Dardanelle, Danville, Dover, Clarksville, Lamar and Coal Hill. RVF4K expects to provide weekly meals for at least 1,200 children from June 9 through August 12.

RVF4K volunteers pack summer meals for children in 2025.

“The need runs deep in the Arkansas River Valley, where nearly 9,000 children are considered food insecure, which means they don’t know where their next meal will come from. Ongoing support from companies like Engineered Rigging goes a long way in helping us reach those in need. We are incredibly grateful for ER’s generous sponsorship,” said RVF4K Executive Director Leslie Walton.

In 2025, Engineered Rigging launched a philanthropic foundation, Engineered Giving, to make a sustained and meaningful impact in the communities where its employees live and work. The nonprofit contributes financially and provides volunteer support to initiatives related to food and housing insecurity, education and other critical needs.

River Valley Food 4 Kids is a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating childhood hunger by providing food when other sources of nutrition are not readily available.

For Christopher Cox, P.E., founder and president of Engineered Rigging, the work of Engineered Giving goes to the heart of the company’s mission. He explained, “Winston Churchill said that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. We’re humbled to help River Valley Food 4 Kids fight childhood hunger.”

• Individuals and companies can join Engineered Rigging in supporting this critical program by donating online at https://givebutter.com/RVF4K-Summer-2026. Sponsoring one child for the full 10-week program costs just $75.