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HELP KEEP TEXAS FOOD BANKS STRONG

Over the past year, while our businesses thrived, food insecurity among Texans increased drastically and Food Banks Struggled to keep up.

It's our time to give back

Houston Food Bank Faced Record Demand During The COVID-19 Pandemic

The Houston Food Bank has distributed a record 272 million pounds of food since the pandemic first hit Houston in March 2020 — an 86% jump from the 12 month period leading up to COVID-19.

A spokesperson for the Houston Food Bank said demand is more than they’ve ever seen before, even exceeding the year following Hurricane Harvey.

“For food banks, the pandemic brought new challenges and has tested us in ways we've never been tested before,” read a statement from Houston Food Bank CEO Brian Greene. “We had to find ways to distribute more food with increased restrictions, how to do more with less volunteers, and how to do it all while adhering to strict health and safety protocols.”

That need was amplified for some immigrant families, who may not have received stimulus checks due to immigration status, said Cathy Moore, head of the the nonprofit ECHOS, which operates a food pantry that serves immigrant families using food from the Houston Food Bank.

“The need has always been great for food, it will always be great for food for our community,” Moore said. “But when the pandemic hit last year, the need became greater because so many people were out of jobs.”

During the pandemic, Houston Food Bank expanded its operations, ramping up distribution through its network of community food pantries, neighborhood super sites and through home deliveries in areas including Acres Homes, Sunnyside and Katy.

Even with ramped up food distribution, volunteer Amatullah Contractor said there are still communities left behind, including those who live in food deserts. After the Texas freeze, Contractor joined other volunteers in coordinating water and food delivery in Fifth Ward where some people went weeks without running water.

NO ONE SHOULD GO HUNGRY DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

With school closures, job disruptions, and health risks, Texans are turning to food banks for much-needed support. They can't do it alone, and we can help.

Over the past year, food insecurity among Texans has increased 60% over the same period in 2019. 8.9M Texans (31%) are now food insecure, more than double the pre-pandemic rate.

Adding to the higher demand, food banks lost 70% of their volunteer base due to the pandemic.

It's Our Time To Give Back To Families That Were Affected And Have Been Less Fortunate, To Those Who Have Lost Their Jobs, Their Loved Ones, Their Hope...

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