Category: News

East Texas Food Bank Recognizes Hunger Hero Award Recipients for 2024

 

The East Texas Food Bank (ETFB) honored recipients with the fifth annual Hunger Hero Awards as part of Hunger Action Month.

Corporate Partner

UBank received the Corporate Partner Hunger Hero Award. For the past five years, UBank has held the Good for Country concert in Lufkin with top country music artists raising over $116,000.

“We are so grateful to UBank for creating such a unique fundraiser that brings people together to enjoy music and help East Texans struggling with food insecurity,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “We are serving over three million meals in Angelina County.”

“We’d like to thank the East Texas Food Bank for recognizing UBank as their “Hunger Hero” in Lufkin for our Good for Country Concert Series,” said Jack Ellis, UBank Market President of Lufkin & Huntington. “Donating $116,000 in just four short years is something we could have only dreamed about back in 2020 when Good for Country started. We are grateful to have the support of so many local businesses. Creating an event that makes a tangible impact in Lufkin is something we’re immensely proud to be a part of.”

Corporate Partner

Chick-fil-A (CFA) stores in Tyler and Lindale received the Corporate Partner Hunger Hero Award for their continuing mission of partnering with the East Texas Food Bank. Owner/operators of the four stores include: Ikey Eason, Joseph Williams, Joshua Johnson and Jeff Johnston.

“Chick-fil-A nominated ETFB for the True Inspiration Award and this year we received a grant of $125,000,” said David Emerson, CEO of ETFB. “We are humbled to be recognized in this way and thankful for this incredible relationship with CFA.”

The True Inspiration Awards were established to carry on Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy’s legacy of generosity and community service.

“To be selected for a grant, organizations must work to address key issues that align with Chick-fil-A’s corporate social responsibility priorities such as Caring for Others through Food, and we are proud to be a part of fighting hunger in East Texas,” said Jeff Johnston, Chick-fil-A owner/operator and ETFB board member.

Foundation Partner

Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF) received the Foundation Partner Hunger Hero Award. EHF has provided the ETFB with over $450,000 in funding to increase access to SNAP assistance at our resource centers in Tyler and Longview.

“Episcopal Health Foundation cares about making sure that Texans have access to improve their health and we are so thrilled to have a partnership with them, “ added Emerson.

“We’re proud to support the East Texas Food Bank not only to enroll individuals for essential health benefits like SNAP and health insurance, but also in its effort to shape solutions that truly prioritize the needs and experiences of those they serve,” said Cindy Lucia, senior program officer, Episcopal Health Foundation.

Community Partner

The Ground Floor Collective received the Community Partner Hunger Hero Award. The group unites and empowers communities by providing resources to East Texans.

“Our partnership with the Ground Floor Collective has been incredible since we opened our Texarkana Resource Center in May,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “From finding volunteer support to providing wrap-around services to our neighbors, they have been part of our success in Texarkana.”

“This recognition reflects not only our commitment to addressing food insecurity but also the incredible collaboration within our community,” said Kristina Rivas-Jones, Co-founder and Executive Director of Ground Floor Collective. “Together, we are restoring lives by providing essential resources and support to our neighbors in need. It is a privilege to work alongside dedicated partners and advocates, who share the vision of a healthier, more empowered Texarkana. Thank you for believing in our mission and supporting our efforts to create lasting change.”

Lifetime Achievement Award

Henry McCant with the Christian Pantry in Cass County received the Hunger Hero Lifetime Achievement Award.

McCant started Christian Pantry in the early 2000s after seeing a need to feed people in Cass County. While some in his community suggested a cookout, he wanted to do more than just offer a one-time feeding of people. He became a partner of the ETFB in 2014.

“McCant makes the drive weekly to Tyler to our warehouse at ETFB to pick-up pantry staples and produce,” said Emerson. “He cares deeply about the people he serves and we believe he is so deserving of this honor and recognition.”

McCant is also a Vietnam War veteran and proudly served his country from 1958 to 1979, achieving the rank of First Sergeant.

ETFB presented the awards during Feeding America’s Hunger Action Month, held each year in September, to inspire the community to take action and bring attention to hunger in East Texas and the nation.

According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study, 1 in 6 East Texans including 1 in 4 children are hungry. This amounts to 217,260 adults including 78,620 children.

East Texas Food Bank announces “Spread the Love Peanut Butter Drive” Longview versus Tyler competition

Tyler Mayor Don Warren and Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara are holding a friendly peanut butter competition in September as part of Hunger Action Month.

“Each city will collect jars of peanut butter for the East Texas Food Bank’s pantry partners,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Peanut Butter is nutritious, kid-friendly and high in protein and a food item that most East Texans keep in stock. We hope residents of both cities participate to help us fill the shelves of our pantry partners in Longview and Tyler.”

Jars will be collected this month through September 27 in ETFB food barrels in Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods and FRESH locations in both Tyler and Longview.  Donors can also buy jars of peanut butter online at EastTexasFoodBank.org/pbdrive

“Life can get sticky, and sometimes you need a helping hand,” said Tyler Mayor Don Warren. “Let’s support each other as East Texans and spread generosity as smoothly as we spread peanut butter.”

“The East Texas Food Bank has played a tremendous role in supporting our community with the recent opening of their Longview location, as costs have made food insecurity an increased issue,” Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara said. “Longview is excited to give back to support those efforts and grateful for the partnership of East Texas Food Bank and the City of Tyler.”

Hunger Action Month is held every September as part of Feeding America’s initiative to bring awareness about food insecurity in our communities. In East Texas, 1 in 6 adults and 1 in 4 children are hungry.

“We are thrilled that Brookshire’s is partnering with ETFB and allowing us to place collection barrels in 12 stores located in Tyler and Longview,” said Emerson. “So when you are shopping for groceries you can drop off a jar of peanut butter in one of the barrels. Also we ask any businesses who collect at their location to bring their donations to any of the participating locations by September 26 and we will pick-up at the grocery stores.”

Stores participating include:

  • Brookshire’s – 2020 Roseland Blvd in Tyler
  • Brookshire’s – 2734 E. 5th St. in Tyler
  • Brookshire’s – 100 Rice Rd in Tyler
  • FRESH by Brookshire’s – 6991 Old Jacksonville Hwy in Tyler
  • Super 1 Foods – 1105 E Gentry Pkwy in Tyler
  • Super 1 Foods – 113 NNW Loop 323 in Tyler
  • Super 1 Foods – 3828 Troup Hwy in Tyler
  • Super 1 Foods – 172 Centennial Pkwy in Tyler
  • Brookshire’s – 3354 Gilmer Rd in Longview
  • Super 1 Foods – 1217 E Marshall Ave in Longview
  • Super 1 Foods – 1800 S High St in Longview
  • Super 1 Foods – 2301 W Loop 281 in Longview

Results will be tallied up weekly and posted on the ETFB social media pages and web site, so each city can see how they are doing in the peanut butter competition. “No matter which city collects more jars of peanut butter, everyone is a winner because the food will help East Texans in need,” added Emerson.

East Texas Food Bank to offer new Mobile Pantry in Center

The East Texas Food Bank (ETFB) will offer a new Mobile Pantry on the fourth Friday of the month with fresh produce in Center, from 4-5:30 p.m. beginning July 26. The distribution will take place at First Baptist Church, 117 Cora Street.

“Shelby County has a great need for food assistance as 19% of the residents including 31% of children are food insecure according to the latest data from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “We know the need is great and plan to serve 400-600 households at the new mobile pantry distribution each month.”

The East Texas Food Bank currently has nine pantries in Shelby County in Center, Joaquin, and Timpson.

The drive-through Mobile Pantry is open to anyone needing food and there are no ID requirements.

Volunteers are needed each month. Please contact Derek Roberts at treveion22@outlook.com

East Texas Food Bank begins Free Summer Food Program

The East Texas Food Bank kicks off the free Summer Food Program for children on Tuesday, June 4, at 42 East Texas locations.

“It’s so important to make sure children do not go hungry in the summer just because school is out,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Here in East Texas, 1 in 4 children are food insecure so it’s up to our community to make sure we fill that meal gap when the school year ends and kids lose access to free and reduced-price meals they depend on.”

In Tyler, the Summer Food Program will kick-off at the Glass Recreation Center at 501 W. 32nd street with a special celebration of free activities and a free meal from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Activities include face painting, games, a petting zoo, Tyler fire and police department, Andy the Ambulance, games and free Kona Ice.

In 2023, the East Texas Food Bank served 42,000 meals to over 1,700 children throughout East Texas. This summer, ETFB will serve 64,000 meals to over 3,000 children.

Meals are provided at various community sites Monday-Friday. There is no need to register. The program is for children 18 and younger. Some locations offer breakfast and lunch but all offer lunch. Kids eat the meal at the location. Typical breakfast menus are cereal or breakfast bars, plus juice and milk, while lunch includes wraps, wedges, sandwiches with deli meat, pizza lunchables, fresh fruit and chocolate milk.

Besides the meal, some of the locations at parks, churches and libraries offer other free activities for children. Check with the Summer Food Program you plan to visit for more information.

ETFB also provides food at various campuses for kids enrolled in summer school but these are not open to the public.

For the full list of locations and serving times visit EastTexasFoodBank.org/SummerFood or by calling 903-597-3663.

Feeding America study shows more people are hungry in East Texas New Map the Meal Gap numbers released today

Map the Meal Gap blog header

More East Texans are food insecure and the increase in food prices and the amount of money they need to buy food has reached its highest point in the last 20 years, according to Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap study.

At the local level, Map the Meal Gap finds that in East Texas more people are hungry with the new data numbers showing 1 in 6 East Texas adults are hungry including 1 in 4 children with a meal gap of over 40.8 million meals. That is a significant change from the 1 in 7 adults including 1 in 5 children from the previous study. The East Texas Food Bank is one of more than 200 food banks that are part of Feeding America’s nationwide food bank network.

Map the Meal Gap is the only study that provides local-level estimates of food insecurity and food costs for every county and congressional district. The study builds upon the USDA’s latest report of national and state data, which showed a sharp increase in food insecurity in 2022 amidst historically high food prices and the expiration of many pandemic-era programs. Map the Meal Gap emphasizes the urgent call for all of us to take action.

“This year’s study confirms what we hear from people facing hunger: higher food prices are making hunger in America worse,” said Kim Morris, Chief Impact Officer for the East Texas Food Bank. “Map the Meal Gap helps us understand the impact of food insecurity and underlines that we can choose to end hunger in America by coming together as a nation.”

Other key findings of the 2022 Map the Meal Gap in East Texas versus 2021 data include:

  • 1 in 6 adults or 16.9% are food insecure compared to 1 in 7 adults (14.8%) from 2021 data
  • 1 in 4 children or 26.1% are food insecure compared to 1 in 5 children (20.9%) from 2021 data
  • 217,260 are food insecure in East Texas up from 188,530
  • 78,620 of children are food insecure up from 63,260

Income and Food Spending: 

  • Nearly 50% of people facing hunger may not qualify for SNAP benefits due to income thresholds.
  • The national food budget shortfall, which reflects the extra money that people who are food insecure report needing to cover their food needs, has hit a record high of $33.1 billion, up nearly 43% from the previous year. This translates to $24.73 a week per person, on average.

Food Costs and Meal Prices: 

  • Meal costs vary significantly throughout the nation and here in East Texas the average cost of a meal is $3.57 up from $3.17. Costs are at their highest point in the last two decades even after adjusting for inflation.

      Food Insecurity by Race and Ethnicity in East Texas from the 2022 Map the Meal Gap vs. 2021 data

  • 29% of Blacks are food insecure (1 in 3) compared to 24% or (1 in 4) from 2021 data
  • 22% of Hispanics are food insecure (1 in 5) compared to 16% or (1 in 6) from 2021 data
  • 12% of Whites are food insecure (1 in 8) compared to 9% or (1 in 11) from 2021 data

The Map the Meal Gap study is supported by Conagra Brands Foundation and NielsenIQ/NIQ. Additional key takeaways from the report can be found on the Map the Meal Gap website along with an interactive map that details food insecurity by geography, income, race and ethnicity.

Methodology:

Map the Meal Gap uses publicly available data from the USDA ERS, U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics to estimate local food insecurity at the county, congressional district and state levels. The study also estimates local meal costs and food budget shortfalls using food price data from NIQ based on the USDA Thrifty Food Plan, and grocery sales tax data for every county and state in the country.

To learn how food insecurity impacts your community, click here.