The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is celebrating its 40th year of helping those in need amidst inflation and high prices.
Inflation has led more North Texans than ever before to turn to the food bank, Community Impact reported.
NTFB’s senior communications manager, Jeff Smith, told Community Impact that North Texas has seen “unprecedented” demand for food aid. “Inflation is impacting [North Texans’] ability to stretch their dollar,” Smith said.
Rising costs have also impacted the donations NTFB receives as grocery stores that donate to the food bank, such as Kroger and Sam’s Club, have been giving less than usual.
“They can’t donate what they don’t have,” Smith stated.
Private donations account for around 42% of the organization’s food stock. About 32% is purchased using federal and state taxpayer money. NTFB buys the rest.
NTFB was established in 1982 by four Dallas women, Liz Minyard, Kathryn Hall, Lorraine Griffin Kircher, and Jo Curtis.
“As we commemorate our 40th anniversary of serving our neighbors facing hunger, we know the need is greater than it has ever been,” read a statement on the NTFB website. “The COVID-19 pandemic has both caused and exposed an unprecedented level of food insecurity in our community. According to Feeding America, approximately 800,000 North Texans do not know where their next healthy meal will come from—including one in five children.”
Smith told Community Impact that any size donation helps, whether in the form of funding or food. He added that volunteers are also vital to the food bank and its mission.
“Without volunteers, we have to hire people to come in and do the things that would have to get done, so that costs additional resources that we’re not able to put toward food,” he said.
According to Community Impact, volunteers for NTFB can work at its Plano headquarters to prepare distribution packages.