A North Texas food pantry says inflation and population growth are causing the highest demand for food in its 26-year history.
The CEO of Parker County Center for Hope posted photos showing empty shelves in their pantry on Monday. The center saw a 40% increase in need each year for the past two years.
"I saw that our pantry was completely bare. That was the first time I actually went, 'What does this mean for Center of Hope? Does this mean that we cannot give food to people?' And I was just not going to accept that," said CEO Staci Markwardt.
The pantry gives people a month's worth of food when they visit. Markwardt said she prayed and decided to post the photos and a rare plea for support.
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Shortly after the post, community members started showing up with donations and offers to volunteer. By Tuesday, she had new photos showing the shelves stocked once again.
"It's seeing the community that God has put together here. It has just been a really great, great day to see the love of this community wanting to help their neighboring needs," said Markwardt.
Markwardt said they're grateful for the response and support but need a long-term solution to help feed the growing number of families in need.
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The center offers GED, ESL, workforce training, and computer and life skills classes to help people improve their financial situations.
