About Us

Antioch for Youth and Family was founded in 2000 by Charolette Tidwell as a non-denominational food pantry. Mrs. Tidwell was a nurse for thirty years before she retired in 2001 to focus on Antioch full-time. In 2020, she was presented with the key to the city by Fort Smith Mayor George McGill. In 2021, she was named the recipient of the Jack White Leadership Award. Mrs. Tidwell was also featured in the Lay's Smiles campaign with Operation Smile.

Antioch works to meet food insecurity problems in western Arkansas, including partnerships with senior citizens and Veterans mobile food pantries that deliver food to low income elderly, disabled and struggling families. Today, Antioch feeds over 30,000 people every year. Last year, Antioch gave out over a million pounds of food.