Michael Hetrick, Author at East Texas Food Bank

Winter Storm Recovery Resources

As East Texans begin the recovery process from the winter storm last week, the East Texas Food Bank is hard at work providing support and food for our partner agency network through our 26 county service area. Below, we have gathered some resources for those who are looking for assistance during this time.

Finding Help

Food Pantries and Feeding Program

Click the “Find Food” button at the top of any page on our website to be directed to our locator at the bottom of the screen. Select your county or input you city and state to see a list of food pantries in your area. **NOTE: Some pantries may have limited hours or be closed due to effect from the storm. Please contact your local pantry for current information.**

Drive-Thru Food Distributions

The East Texas Food Bank is continuing drive-thru distributions in Tyler, Longview and Lufkin for the next few months. These are open to the public, with no ID or paperwork necessary. Click here to see the latest dates.

Help Applying for Assistance Programs

The East Texas Food Bank Benefits Assistance Team can help you apply for benefits such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) & Children’s Medicaid, Medicaid for Pregnant Women, Healthy Texas Women and Medicare Savings Program. To request benefits information and assistance, click here and fill out the form at the bottom of the page. One of our Benefits Assistance Specialist will contact you about your request.

SNAP Benefits Update

Due to the storm, SNAP households that lost food during the storm can request replacement SNAP benefits. To do this, clients need to call 2-1-1 (option 5) during business hours (M-F, 9-6) to request replacement benefits. 2-1-1 will accept their verbal statement attesting to their loss. Clients can request up to 100% of their monthly benefit depending on how much food was lost. For additional ways to request benefits and other updates. click here.

HHSC also got approval of a Hot Foods Waiver for all current SNAP recipients. This will allow households to purchase hot and already prepared foods at SNAP-approved retailers. This will help people who can’t cook due to power outages, storm damage and lack of water.

Giving Help

With help from our volunteers, donors and advocates, we work hard to fight hunger in East Texas—in times of crisis and all year long. If you are healthy and able to volunteer, you can find upcoming shifts when you click here. For those able to give a gift during this time, your generosity can make an immediate impact.

“I volunteer because it’s good for the heart to give to other people”

Veda Flowers has been a volunteer with Helping Hands of Kilgore, an East Texas Food Bank partner agency, for three years. However, she told us that she has seen quite the change this past year.

“We’ve seen a lot more people because of COVID,” Veda said, adding that many are first time visitors to the pantry.

“Sometimes people are embarrassed because they never have had to come to ask before,” Veda added. “I think they are grateful there is somewhere they can get help and assistance when they need it.”

As a volunteer at Kilgore Helping Hands, Veda helps fill food boxes, hands out fresh produce and is in charge of distributing boxes to seniors that are enrolled in the East Texas Food Bank Senior Box Program.

“I volunteer because it’s good for the heart to give to other people,” Veda said. “It’s also good you can give of yourself.”

Veda encourages those that can volunteer to do so. She also has a special message to donors that help the East Texas Food Bank and partner food pantries.

“I would tell those that donate, ‘thank you so much!’” Veda said. “We help so many families each month thanks to them.”

Want to get in helping to fight hunger? Make a donation now or find out how to volunteer with us.

4 Tips for a Healthy Heart

Your heart plays a huge role in many functions of your body and is worth protecting. Making healthy choices can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Eating a variety of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein can help prevent and manage chronic disease. It is also important to limit the consumption of foods high in unhealthy fats, sodium and added sugar. The 4 tips for a healthy heart below will help you take steps toward a healthy diet.

Fill up on fiber

Fiber is found in plant-based foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes. It is the part of the plant that the body can’t digest or absorb. Fiber helps us stay full longer, lowers cholesterol levels, helps control blood sugar and aids in digestion.

To add more fiber to your day:

Try switching to whole grains like oats, brown rice and whole wheat pasta.
Eat fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Be sure to eat the peel of vegetables and choose whole fruit over juice.
Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add them to soups, salads or casseroles.

Choose healthy fats more often

Fat is essential for body function, but it is important to make healthy choices when it comes to the type of fat.

Healthy Fats – Choose these foods more often

Unsaturated – These fats are generally liquid at room temperature and come mainly from plant products such as nuts, oil and avocados. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fat found in fatty fish like salmon, trout, tuna and sardines. Unsaturated fats help to lower your cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Unhealthy Fats – Choose these foods less often

Saturated – These fats are generally solid at room temperature and are found in fatty meats such as bacon, sausage and pork as well as animal products like cheese and butter. Saturated fats can raise your bad cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Trans – These fats are found mainly in processed foods like fried foods and baked goods. Trans fats raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol, increasing your risk of heart disease.

Be mindful of what you drink

Drinking water or non-sugar-sweetened beverages like black coffee or unsweet tea can help lower your risk of heart disease by eliminating excess calories from added sugar that could cause weight gain.

Try flavoring your water by adding sliced lemons, cucumbers and fresh mint or combine 100% fruit juice and carbonated water for a healthier version of soda.

Stay active

Healthy choices for your heart do not only involve the foods you eat. Exercise is a great way to strengthen and protect your heart from disease. It can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and can also reduce stress.

Try to reach 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Be sure to include activities around the house like cleaning and yard work. Start small and make physical activity fun!

For more healthy tips, follow us on Facebook. For healthy recipes, click here.

“You are helping people more than you think”

On a sunny day recently, we met John at one of our monthly drive-thru produce distributions. He told us it wasn’t his first visit, but he really preferred our drive-thru method we have been using during the pandemic.

“I’ve been to some other food pantries in town and there was a lot of sitting and waiting,” he told us. “I can’t really do that being disabled like I am.”

John said he just started receiving disability benefits last year, and while “it ain’t much” it is at least some help for him.

“The food I get here helps me out and it saves my grocery money that I can put towards other bills,” he said. “It’s nice getting milk and eggs when we get those. They have gotten high.”

John wanted to thank everyone who helps in the distribution and allows him to receive nutritious food.

“You are helping people more than you think,” he said.

1 in 5 East Texans like John are facing hunger today. You can be the 1 to help in 2021 when you donate money, volunteer or hold a virtual food drive for the East Texas Food Bank.

“We have been able to have enough food for everyone that comes.”

Ursula Plaisance has been the director of Helping Hands of Kilgore, an East Texas Food Bank partner agency, for just over four years. However, nothing could have prepared her for the effects of 2020 on her pantry.

“COVID really rocked all of our worlds,” Ursula said. “We’ve seen an influx of people that have had job losses. Some that are just not able to make ends meet because their hours have gotten reduced. Some have gone on furlough, so that has affected a lot of our families.”

Helping Hands of Kilgore normally sees between 70 to 90 new families each month, but that number doubled during September and October.

“We’ve seen a lot of new families,” Ursula said. “We have been able to have enough food for everyone that comes. Thanks to the help from the East Texas Food Bank, we get the items we need.”

Due to COVID, Ursula told us the pantry had to make some changes in how they serve their clients. This included placing a table at the entrance where food items are gathered. Once complete, clients pick up their items and the table is cleaned and sanitized before the next client’s items are gathered.

“We have everyone wear masks,” Ursula said. “We just want to be very cautious for our volunteers and clients.”

Speaking of volunteers, Ursula said they have “been remarkable” during these tough months.

“When we train volunteers, they love to come and work,” she said. “They look forward to being here. We are like a big family.”

Ursula knows that hunger will still exists after the COVID pandemic is over, but she is glad Helping Hands of Kilgore will be there to help.

“Without the East Texas Food Bank, I don’t think we could run as smoothly and as confident knowing that we are going to get the produce that we need to distribute to our families,” Ursula said. “None of this would be possible without the food bank.”