North Texas generosity is fully displayed this holiday season from food bank giveaways to a grocery store fundraising campaign.
Over 100 volunteers helped distribute food to hundreds of families in Fort Worth on Wednesday morning.
The Tarrant Area Food Bank held its holiday mega mobile event and reports an increase in people facing food insecurity, not knowing where their next meal will come from.
“This is one of our busiest times of the year,” said TAFB spokesperson Jared Williams.
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“We know families are really working hard to make the dollar stretch, and the holiday season can sometimes make it harder.”
Williams says the food bank served 15,000 families for Thanksgiving, while Wednesday’s event served 1,200.
More than 100 volunteers gathered at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth to hand out food.
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The effort is made possible through partnerships with Bimbo USA, Tyson Foods, and Walmart.
“If we all do a little, we can get a lot done,” said Williams. “We rely on the support of the community to help serve those who are facing food insecurity.”
Several charities are aimed at feeding those in need this holiday season, including Kroger’s End Hunger Here Campaign.
NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 joined Kroger to fight hunger across North Texas.
“So far, we’ve raised almost $500,000 thanks to the generous viewers of NBC 5 and Telemundo as well as Kroger shoppers,” said local Kroger spokesman John Votava.
Kroger’s ‘End Hunger Here’ campaign hopes to raise $900,000 worth of funds and food by Christmas Eve.
Funds will go to local Feeding America food bank partners, including the North Texas Food Bank and Tarrant Area Food Bank.
Customers can help at the register by rounding up to the nearest dollar or adding donations of $1, $5, or $10.
“We’re a little behind last year, but customers can still come in and make donations all the way until Christmas Eve at any Kroger in North Texas, East Texas, and even into Louisiana,” said Votava. “When you’re donating $1, that’s five meals, $5 is 15, and $10 is 30 meals,” he said. “The more you donate, the more meals you’re creating for people in need here in North Texas.”
The non-profit No Kid Hungry Texas spoke with NBC 5 about food insecurity.
“Across the state, one in six children are at risk or can experience food insecurity or hunger,” said director Stacie Sanchez Hare. “Dallas County in particular, they report the fourth highest rate of food insecure children in this country, and this has brought a wave of challenges to Texas families, particularly in the DFW area.
Sanchez Hare says a recent report released by the USDA ranked Texas among the worst states for household food insecurity, behind only Arkansas.
When asked if food insecurity is worse now than in previous years, she says they look at the situation ‘pre and post-COVID.’
Interestingly, she says the pandemic addressed food insecurity for many students because while classes were held virtually, students were regularly provided meals throughout the day, leading to less food insecurity.
Numbers have grown since these services have ended. Add Sanchez Hare, and everyone should care.
“When kids have access to three meals a day, absenteeism goes down, disciplinarian referrals go down,” she said. “You cannot learn. You cannot think.”
No Kid Hungry works closely with community partners, including food banks.
“We see our relationship to the food banks is that our work is like shortening the line,” she said.
“Our advocacy work, all of those efforts help shorten the line at the food bank. Because what happens during the holiday season is that kids are not in school, so they don't have guaranteed access to those meals. So families need more food and so that is why we see the increased need at our food banks, at our school pantries, at our church and faith-based organizations, because they are not getting those guaranteed meals at school.”
Sanchez Hare points to a student who found three-quarters of Texans report a bigger struggle to afford groceries this year than last.
Charities and organizers of food bank events encourage the community to continue to help others this holiday season, ensuring no one goes without a meal.
