Author: Michael Hetrick

One Year Later: Feeding Hunger During a Pandemic

As we reach an unexpected milestone, the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization’s official declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to take a moment to update you on our work and say thank you. Of all the disasters that the East Texas Food Bank has responded to over the last 33 years, this pandemic has brought an unprecedented challenge to our mission of fighting hunger and feeding hope.

When COVID-19 hit our East Texas communities a year ago, we were presented with the perfect storm of increased demand, disruptions to our food sourcing model and a decline in our invaluable volunteers.

Knowing that the need of our neighbors would be greater than ever, we didn’t let these obstacles deter us from our mission. We immediately responded to the pandemic by augmenting our year-round programs so they could safely operate. Additionally, we held drive-thru emergency food box distributions, piloted a senior home delivery program and provided targeted financial and logistical support to our partner agencies so they could stay open.

The East Texas Food Bank, volunteers, food pantries and feeding programs have been, and will continue to be, on the frontlines ensuring our neighbors have access to the food and services they need during this difficult time. Together, we were able to serve more than 24.4 million meals to over 75,000 families from March 2020-February 2021.

I am so grateful for our generous donors, community partners, volunteers and hard-working staff that have made this difficult work possible, but our work is far from over. Every single day, 1 in 5 East Texans, including 1 in 3 children, are facing hunger. However, thanks to generous friends like you, I know we’ll continue to fight hunger and feed hope throughout 2021.

You can help us continue to fight hunger and feed hope in East Texas by making a gift, volunteering with us or having a virtual food drive for your business or organization.

National Nutrition Month: Plan Your Meals Each Week

March is National Nutrition Month®, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wants to help give everyone the tools to make informed food choices and develop healthful eating and physical activity habits for life. This year’s theme is to Personalize Your Plate, and this week’s message is to: plan your meals each week!

Follow these 5 tips to help you know how to make a plan to eat a balanced diet.

  1. Use a grocery list to shop for healthful foods
  • Fruits – fresh, frozen, and fruits canned in 100% fruit juice.
  • Vegetables – fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables labeled “no sodium added” or “low sodium.”
  • Grains – looks for items with “whole wheat” or “whole grain” on the label. Look for items that have “whole wheat” or “whole wheat flour” as the first ingredient in the ingredient list. Compare products, and choose the one with more fiber and less added sugars.
  • Protein – choose fresh and frozen unprocessed skinless poultry, fish, seafood, lean pork, and lean beef. Choose canned meats and fish labeled “no sodium added” or “low sodium.”
  • Dairy – choose low-fat and fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese and calcium-fortified soymilk.
  • Condiments and oils – while this isn’t part of MyPlate Guidelines, condiments and oils are used in almost every dish. Choose condiments that are low in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Choose plant oils that are liquid at room temperature and are lower in saturated fats.
  1. Be menu-savy when dining out
  • Look for nutrition information – many restaurants, especially chain restaurants, have calorie information listed next to the food item on the menu. Information on fat, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, added sugar, and protein should be available upon request or online.
  • Look for keywords – sometimes, restaurants don’t provide nutrition information. Words like “crunchy,” “crispy,” “battered,” “breaded,” “creamy,” “cheesy,” and “alfredo” all indicate that an item might be higher in calories and saturated fat. Words like “baked,” “grilled,” “roasted,” “steamed,” “al fresco,” and “marinara” indicate that an item might be lower in calories and a more healthful option.
  • Portions matter – restaurants often serve food in much larger portions that we need. Ask for a to-go box when you get your food, and immediately put half of it away for later to help prevent you from overeating.
  1. Choose healthful recipes to make during the week
  1. Enjoy healthful eating at school and at work
  • Plan the night before – pack a balanced lunch and snacks to help you avoid unplanned eating out for lunch and snacking on candy when you get hungry in the afternoon.
  • Be prepared – keep single-serve packages of whole-grain crackers, fruit, peanut butter, soup, or tuna at your desk for a quick lunch.
  • Avoid mindless eating – keep snacks off your desk and hidden away to help prevent you from eating when you aren’t hungry.
  1. Plan healthful eating while traveling
  • Think ahead – research restaurants along the way and at your destination so you can easily choose places with healthful choices.
  • Pack healthy choices – bring fruits, vegetables, nut butter, pre-portioned trail mix, whole grain snack bars, and your other favorite, healthy snacks so you don’t feel the need to get chips and a candy bar when you stop for gas.
  • Balance your meals – if you plan to indulge for dinner, have a lighter breakfast and lunch.

Check back next week for more National Nutrition Month information! You can also follow us on Facebook and find healthy recipes here.

Thank you for helping Jennifer get back on her feet

Hello. I’m Jennifer. This is my second trip ever to the East Texas Food Bank. My family never needed their help before, but then businesses started shutting down. Like a lot of folks around here, I lost my job really suddenly.

We tried to make ends meet for a while, but without my pay coming in, it was hard. There came a point when we just had to make the call: If we don’t ask for help, we’re going to go hungry.

So we came to a drive-through food distribution that was happening near us—and wow. I was blown away by how easy they made everything. It still broke my heart to see so many people lined up to get help, but the staff here are wonderful. They have a kind word for every last one of us.

We picked up a big load of milk, eggs, fresh produce and other basics that first time, and today, we got another couple weeks’ worth. We’re so appreciative—it really takes a lot of stress off!

There’s more good news: I just went back to work yesterday, so this food will help us get by until I get my first couple of paychecks. Then I hope we won’t have to use this resource so some of our other neighbors can benefit from it instead.

Thank you so much for helping my family get through this!

Black History Month: Hunger Heroes

During Black History Month in February, the East Texas Food Bank wanted to celebrate the stories of both national and local Black “Hunger Heroes” who help our neighbors keep food on the table all year-round.

The Honorable Shirley Chisholm

Many Americans know the Honorable Shirley Chisholm as the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress in 1968. Paving the way for Black women in U.S. politics, Representative Chisholm (D-NY) also played an essential role in the creation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), ensuring that low-income mothers everywhere could access free, healthy food for their young children. (information courtesy of FRAC)

Chris Thompson. ETFB Volunteer


Chris has been volunteering for about three years, helping with our produce distributions in Tyler. After working with the Department of Public Safety for 27 years, Chris told us volunteering allows him to continue to serve the community.
“Volunteering is so valuable,” Chris said. “You are serving the person and also you are fulfilling yourself. I’m proud to say I’m a part of the food bank.”

Valencia Watson, ETFB Child Hunger Programs Manager

“I really love helping people and especially children since they can’t advocate for themselves,” says Valencia Watson, East Texas Food Bank Child Hunger Programs Manager. “That’s what brought me here. I can do some ‘hands-on’ with being able to help families and children.”
Valencia joined the East Texas Food Bank almost seven years ago and has worked in our Child Hunger Programs since her first day. While she loves all the programs she supervises, the Summer Food Program is her favorite.
“You can expand to so many different cities and have kids from all over that come to get food from parks and other areas,” she said. “It’s a way for more kids to be fed, which is great!”

National Nutrition Month: Eat a variety of nutrition foods every day!

March is National Nutrition Month®️, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wants to help give everyone the tools to make informed food choices and develop healthful eating and physical activity habits for life. This year’s theme is to Personalize Your Plate, and this week’s message is to:

Eat a variety of nutritious foods every day!

Follow these tips below to help you know how to eat a balanced diet in a mindful way.

  • Include healthful foods from all food groups – eating a balanced diet that includes all food groups is an easy way to help your body get the nutrients it needs.
  • Fruits – make half your plate fruits and vegetables! Choose fruit that is fresh, frozen,        dried, or canned in 100% fruit juice.
  • Vegetables – make half your plate fruits and vegetables! Choose vegetables that are fresh, frozen, or canned without added salt.
  • Grains – make half your grains whole grains, like oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, brown rice, and whole grain flours.
  • Protein – try different protein foods, like seafood, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy, eggs, and lean meats and poultry.
  • Dairy – choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, calcium-fortified soymilk, and cheese.
  • Hydrate healthfully – staying hydrated helps keep you healthy and helps your body function like it’s supposed to.
  • Keep water with you throughout the day, and drink it when you’re thirsty.
  • Instead of sugar-sweetened drinks, try drinking water or sparkling water with fruit, vegetables, and/or herbs added. Be creative! Add lemons or limes, strawberries, cucumbers, mint, or basil.
  • Fruits, like cantaloupe, strawberries, and watermelon, and vegetables, like lettuce, celery, and spinach, are full of water and can help you stay hydrated.
  • Learn how to read Nutrition Facts Panels
  • First, look at the servings per container and the serving size. All information on the food label is based on the serving size, so if you eat more than the serving size, you’re getting more of the nutrients listed.
  • For one serving of food, try to limit saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and added sugars to less than 5% of the daily value.
  • For one serving of food, try to aim for at least 20% of the daily value for vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
  • Check the ingredient list for whole grains and hidden sources of trans fat (partially hydrogenated oils) and sugar (ingredients that end in -ose, honey, and corn sweeteners).
  • Avoid distractions while eating – eating while driving, watching TV, or otherwise multitasking prevents you from focusing on what you’re eating and can easily lead to overeating.
  • Try turning your phone, computer, and TV off while you eat.
  • Try not to snack while you’re working on something else – take a moment to notice why you want to snack. Are you actually hungry or are you feeling bored, stressed, or just wanting something to do with your hands?
  • Take time to enjoy your food
  • Before you eat, pay attention to how you feel and how your food smells. Are you hungry, stressed, distracted?
  • As you eat, pay attention to what your food tastes like and feels like in your mouth.
  • After you finish eating, notice how your body feels. Are you still hungry, do you feel overly full, or do you feel satisfied?

Check back next week for more National Nutrition Month information! You can also follow us on Facebook and find healthy recipes here.