Category: News Room

East Texas Food Bank Recognizes Hunger Hero Award 2025 Recipients

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

Corporate Partner

Texas Materials receive the Corporate Partner Hunger Hero award.

“We are so grateful to Texas Materials for their support of our mission in Lufkin,” said Tim Butler, Chief Development Officer of the East Texas Food Bank. “They have volunteered with us for several years at the Deep East Texas Resource Center. Then last year, we asked for a bid for a new dumpster and concrete pad, and they donated the project to us totaling $21,000, which helped save the food bank money so we could use our resources to provide more meals to our neighbors in Angelina County.”

“At Texas Materials we believe the work the ETFB is doing within East Texas is crucial in providing our partners within the community the resources they need when it is needed most,” said Bobby Daggett, General Manager with Texas Materials. “The assistance the ETFB provides aligns closely with our core value of People Being Our Priority and caring for each other’s safety and well-being. Texas Materials is proud of our partnership with ETFB and look forward to continuing working together to serve our partners in the community.”

Community Partner

First Baptist Church Lufkin received the Community Partner Hunger Hero award.

“FBC Lufkin has been partners of ETFB since 2022, they are one of our biggest and steadfast partners who believe in what we do,” said Butler.

“First Baptist Church Lufkin is grateful to have the opportunity to support the East Texas Food Bank,” said Walker McWilliams, Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church Lufkin. “We know that food insecurity is a prominent issue in our community, and as followers of Christ, we are called to feed the hungry as Jesus did. We are thankful to partner with a compassionate and professional organization that provides consistent food to those who need it.”

Community Partner-Linden Methodist Church

Pastor Kara Mitchell with Linden Methodist Church received a Community Partner Hunger Hero Award.

“The dedicated volunteers with Linden Methodist Church have contributed hundreds of hours in support of the ETFB Mobile Pantry Program,” said Kim Morris, Chief Impact Officer, with the East Texas Food Bank. “Pastor Kara Mitchell cultivated a passionate team of service-minded individuals from her congregation who, rain or shine, distributed fresh produce to neighbors in Cass County. Their record high for a single distribution reached an incredible 547 households, with their monthly average ranging between 328 and 415 households served. Today, the church has transitioned into managing the senior box program and once again Pastor Kara has led with vision and heart, guiding the team through this change and into a new phase of service.”

“Our church supports the ETFB because there is a need, and our faith calls us to do it,” said Pastor Kara Mitchell, with Linden Methodist Church. “According to Galatians 6:10 the Bible says, ‘So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.’ Supporting a food bank is a perfect way for our church to meet the needs of our community. It fulfills God’s desire for us to provide compassion, while building connections and providing hope for those in need.”

Community Partner- Shepherd’s Harvest Food Pantry

Pastor Chad Mitchell with Hughes Springs Methodist Church and Shepherd’s Harvest Food Pantry also received a Community Partner Hunger Hero Award.
“A few years after coming on as a pantry partner, they adopted the Hughes Springs senior box distribution,” said Morris. “They have been successfully executing both programs as a model site. They have several volunteers and are a lifeline for the residents in their community. They accepted fighting hunger and feeding hope in a food desert and have provided an oasis to those in need.”

“At Shepherds Harvest Food Pantry, we recognize that we have neighbors in our community that often have to make decisions when prioritizing their needs,” said Pastor Chad Mitchell with Hughes Springs Methodist Church. “It is our hope that by providing assistance with our pantry and through the ETFB Senior Box Program, that we may be the hands and feet of Christ, ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of our neighbors.”

Lifetime Achievement Award

Mark and Nadara Sperry with Westside Church of Christ received the Hunger Hero Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Westside Church of Christ pantry opened in 1999. Today the church provides 3,500 pounds of food on average each month to the people of Texarkana.
“The Sperry’s became involved with the pantry and have helped guide and shape it into its current form,” said Morris. “They have a huge volunteer base of 50 dedicated community members from multiple churches and have made great strides to serve this unique border city. Their contributions and tireless efforts have been instrumental in their continuing success.”

“We first volunteered in the pantry 20 years ago because we firmly believed that Jesus wanted us to share what He had given us,” said Nadara Sperry. “We have continued to work because of the many stories from the grateful people who receive boxes each month. They have told us repeatedly that a monthly box of food makes a significant difference in their lives.”

Corporate Partner- Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy received a Corporate Partner Hunger Hero Award.

“Atmos Energy has been a great partner in helping with our Longview Resource Center and other programs,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Through our relationship with Atmos, their donations have provided over 550,000 meals.”

“We are passionate about giving back to the communities we serve, and it has been an honor to have such a strong partnership with East Texas Food Bank over the past five years,” said Darwin Winfield, Atmos Energy public affairs manager. “ETFB shares our commitment to Fueling Safe and Thriving Communities by providing critical resources to help fight childhood hunger. We are so thankful for this recognition and look forward to continued collaboration for many more years to come.”

Corporate Partner- Hall Family of Dealerships

Also receiving a Corporate Partner Hunger Hero Award is the Hall Family of Dealerships.

“The Hall Family of Dealerships has been very supportive of what we do at the East Texas Food Bank,” said Emerson. “Through our partnership with them their donations have helped us provide over 400,000 meals.”

“We certainly believe in their exceptional programs,” said Pam Hall, owner of Hall Family of Dealerships. “I was so impressed by the ‘shopping’ market, so families felt comfortable and on top of that the service they provided for health purposes. I completely believe in the integrity of the people there and their mission.”

Community Partner- ETX ADAM

East TX ADAM (Acquisition, Divestitures and Mergers) received a Community Partner Hunger Hero Award.

“East TX ADAM approached ETFB a few years ago to see if we could partner with them on their annual golf tournament with the proceeds going to the food bank,” said Emerson. “This has been a wonderful relationship, and we are so pleased that this tournament has raised funds to provide over 270,000 meals.”

“Three years ago, I made the recommendation to the other board members that it was time for us to put the profits from the tournament to good use,” said Todd Upson, board member of East TX ADAM. “We discussed the situation and felt with our group having members throughout East Texas, and with the number of kids and families having such a difficult time of putting enough food on the table, it only made sense for the profits to go to the East Texas Food Bank. I thoroughly enjoy our relationship with the food bank, and we all know the financial assistance is being put to good use. This coming October will be the fourth year the food bank has been the benefactor from the East Texas ADAM Charity Golf Tournament.”

Community Partner- St. Vincent de Paul

Also receiving a Community Partner Hunger Hero Award is St. Vincent de Paul of Tyler while former pantry manager Michael Allgaier, who died in March, is receiving posthumously a Lifetime Achievement Award.

“St. Vincent de Paul is one of our larger pantry partners who deeply cares about taking care of people’s needs in our community,” said Emerson. “Just since 2012, the pantry has served more than 1.7 million meals.”

“We support the ETFB because they support us in meeting the hungry where they are at,” said Grace Vierling, Executive Director with St. Vincent de Paul. “We are partners in the fight for food security and are proud to join them in this mission of hope.”

Lifetime  Achievement Award- Michael Allgaier, St. Vincent de Paul

“Mike Allgaier was a tireless servant leader for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul,” added Vierling. “He spent years serving and caring for those in the most need in our community. His dedication and ingenuity helped expand our ministry to what it is today. We miss him dearly and are proud to continue his legacy.”

“Mike was a kind, generous man with a heart fully dedicated to serving others,” said Anita Bangle, ETFB Retail Store Donation Coordinator. “St. Vincent de Paul joined our partner agency retail store donation program and he was deeply committed to representing ETFB with excellence.”

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 5 East Texans including 1 in 4 children are hungry. This amounts to 235,670 adults including 80,370 children in East Texas are food insecure.

Church Donates Over 4,000 Gallons of Milk to Catholic Charities and East Texas Food Bank

he Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is supporting local hunger relief efforts by delivering 4,320 gallons of 2% milk to East Texas Food Bank and Catholic Charities on Wednesday August 13.

TYLER – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is supporting local hunger relief efforts by delivering 4,320 gallons of 2% milk to East Texas Food Bank and Catholic Charities on Wednesday August 13.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the partnership, generosity and grace of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in providing milk to our pantries,” said Dave Woodyard, CEO of Catholic Charities Dallas. “Collaborations like these make a huge difference in serving the most vulnerable in our community.”

Milk is one of the most requested—and hardest to obtain—items at food banks, according to Feeding America.

The truck will first unload half of the donation at Catholic Charities in Dallas and then the rest to East Texas Food Bank in Tyler.

As the top food source of calcium, vitamin D, and potassium, milk plays a key role in nutrition. But for many children and families in need, even basic staples like milk—and the essential nutrients it provides—are often out of reach. This donation will aid families as they plan for back-to-school necessities.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with Catholic Charities Dallas to provide milk to our community,” said Peter Harris, communications director for the Church in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro area. “This delivery was so needed in our area.”

Harris added, “We are thankful for the work Catholic Charities does day in and day out to address food insecurity in Dallas. Together, we share a commitment to alleviating hunger, and we look forward to continued opportunities to support this vital mission.”

DFW ranks third among U.S. metro areas for the highest number of people facing hunger, according to Feeding America.

The Church has a long-standing partnership with both Catholic Charities Dallas and East Texas Food Bank, providing volunteers and donations as needs arise. Both organizations have the infrastructure to distribute the milk efficiently across East Texas and the DFW area. The Church was also recognized with the “Hunger Hero Award” for their outstanding contributions to the East Texas Food Bank.

“We are privileged to work so closely with these partners to ease the burden in our communities,” says President Charles Rhodus, Stake President and leader of the Church in Tyler area. “Our goal is to give as Jesus Christ would give to those in need.”

The Church and these two nonprofit partners share the goal of alleviating hunger and helping individuals in need, with an emphasis on treating everyone with dignity and respect as they work toward greater self-reliance.

This donation originated from the Church’s dairy operations in Utah. One of the Church’s regional humanitarian priorities is to help meet the basic needs of those experiencing hunger. Texas currently leads the nation in food insecurity.

Tyler ISD Schools Prepare for 35th Annual Pantry Raid

Tyler High and Tyler Legacy are coming together again this year before their big football rivalry to raise funds and food to support the East Texas Food Bank’s BackPack program as part of the 35th Annual Pantry Raid.

The East Texas Food Bank and the Tyler Independent School District host the annual event. Since the pantry raid began in 1991, students have raised more than 1.9 million meals.

“Child hunger is a concern in our region. According to new Feeding America Map the Meal Gap statistics, 1 in 4 East Texas children are food insecure,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Many student’s families depend on the ETFB BackPack program to help fill the weekend hunger gap, so we greatly appreciate the students for keeping this event going for 35 years!”

Last year students raised funds and food to provide 117,243 meals. Tyler High and Tyler Legacy students will collect food and funds over the next several weeks. Monetary donations will support ETFB’s programs that serve Tyler ISD students, such as the BackPack Program. More than 8,800 East Texas children receive BackPacks every weekend filled with nutritious, kid-friendly food.

“This is a tradition our students look forward to every year,” said Jennifer Hines, Tyler ISD Chief Communications Officer. “Their involvement makes a real difference for classmates and families who rely on the BackPack program for weekend meals. Each campus brings its own creativity to the effort, engaging students and families while reinforcing the importance of service and community support.”

The results are announced at halftime during the two Tyler school’s annual football game on Friday, September 5, at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. Donations can be made at www.tylerpantryraid.com

USDA’s Announcement of Local Food Purchases to Support Communities Facing Hunger

Feeding America welcomes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement of its intent to purchase $230 million in nutritious food—including fresh seafood, fruits, vegetables, and beans—for distribution through programs like The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). This food is urgently needed and will help get more meals onto the shelves of food banks and pantries across the country—supporting both the people who grow our food and the people working hard to build a better future for themselves and their families.  

We’re especially grateful to the U.S. farmers, growers and producers whose work makes this possible—and to USDA for its ongoing partnership. This investment ensures that food grown by farmers in America stays in our communities. We stand ready, through the Feeding America network of more than 200 food banks and 60,000 faith-based and community organizations, to help ensure this food reaches the people who need it most. 

Tens of millions of people in the United States continue to face challenges accessing the food and resources they need to thrive. Meeting this challenge requires all of us—government, agriculture, nonprofits, and local communities—working together. This investment is one example of how that collective action can help ensure everyone has access to the food they need to thrive.

Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment. We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger. Visit FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.

Senate Budget Plan Would Slash SNAP and Shift Billions in Costs to Texas

The U.S. Senate passed its version of the budget reconciliation bill Tuesday, and while it differs in some respects from the House proposal, it still represents the most sweeping rollback of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in U.S. history. The bill would slash an estimated $186 billion from SNAP and fundamentally alter the program’s structure by shifting billions in costs to states like Texas.

Since the modern-day inception of SNAP (or “Food Stamps,” as it was formerly known) 50 years ago, the federal government has always paid 100% of the cost of benefits, guaranteeing that Americans would have access to critical food assistance during times of individual crisis, economic downturns, and natural disaster no matter where they live.

“If enacted, this bill would represent the largest rollback of food assistance in U.S. history,” said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, the state association of food banks. “The consequences would be profound and devastating. Millions of Americans—including children, seniors, veterans, and working families—could go hungry. In addition to the significant and undue harm for vulnerable Americans, the bill also deals a blow to farmers, grocers, and our state and local economies.”

The Senate bill would require states with SNAP error rates above 6% to pay between 5% and 15% of food benefit costs. It would also increase the state share of administrative costs from 50% to 75%. For Texas, this would mean an additional $89.5 million per year in administrative costs starting in FY2026, and $716 million per year in food benefits beginning in FY2028, assuming the state maintains its current error rates. These are new costs that Texas has never had to bear before.

Because Texas must balance its budget annually, these new obligations would force lawmakers to either raise new revenue; divert revenue from other essential services like education, healthcare, or public safety; or make the painful decision to reduce SNAP benefits for food insecure Texans.

East Texas Food Bank Response

“Cuts to SNAP will only deepen food insecurity in our region, which already exceeds the state average,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Slashing SNAP will push even more families into crisis, especially in rural areas like East Texas where the program is a critical lifeline. These cuts will have immediate and devastating consequences — more empty refrigerators, more hungry children, and more impossible choices between food, medicine, and rent. The ripple effects will hit local economies hard, stalling recovery and deepening poverty. We urge lawmakers to act now — protect and strengthen SNAP before more lives are put at risk.”

“SNAP is a lifeline for millions of Texans, especially during times of crisis,” Cole said. “The program works because it’s federally funded and responsive to fluctuations in the economy. Offloading benefit costs to states would undermine SNAP’s ability to respond to economic downturns and natural disasters—precisely when families need help the most, and state coffers are most depleted.”

Beyond the cost shift, the bill includes several policy changes that would directly reduce access to food assistance:

  • Expanded Work Requirements: The bill would subject more seniors (up to age 65) and parents (with children as young as 14) to a harsh three-month time limit unless they can document 20 hours of work per week. It also eliminates exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth from the time limit.
  • Elimination of SNAP-Ed: The bill would fully eliminate SNAP-Ed, an evidence-based program that helps state agencies, food banks, and other local organizations provide nutrition education to thousands of Texas families.
  • Limits to the Thrifty Food Plan: By restricting future updates to the Thrifty Food Plan—the formula used to calculate SNAP benefits—the bill would depress benefit levels for years to come, making it harder for families to afford groceries.

“These changes don’t just cut costs—they cut a lifeline for vulnerable Americans,” Cole said. “This is a massive cut that goes well beyond reducing waste and increasing efficiency. These provisions target families with kids, seniors, veterans, and those most in need of support. They dismantle the very tools that help Texans put food on the table and build healthier futures.”

SNAP already provides modest support—just six dollars per person per day—but it plays an outsized role in fighting hunger. Cutting this support would increase food insecurity in Texas and place even more pressure on charitable food systems.

Food banks across the state are already stretched thin. Over the past year, the Feeding Texas network has seen a surge in demand not witnessed since the height of the pandemic. Families are struggling to afford groceries, healthcare, rent, and transportation—all while inflation continues to squeeze household budgets.

“From seniors on fixed incomes to veterans seeking employment to parents trying to feed their children, the need is urgent—and growing,” Cole said. “The Senate’s proposal would only deepen this crisis, and food banks do not have the resources to fill the gap.”

The Feeding Texas network includes 20 food banks and over 3,000 local partners, most of them faith-based, working together to fight hunger in every corner of the state. But no charitable effort can replace the scale and impact of SNAP.

“Texas food banks are united in our plea: We urge members of the House to stop this bill from moving forward, to reject these harmful provisions in conference negotiations, and to protect the integrity of SNAP for the millions of Americans who rely on it,” Cole said. “A federal budget should reflect our nation’s shared values of dignity, opportunity, and a commitment to ensuring that no one in this country goes hungry. Lawmakers must come together to craft a more balanced and compassionate path forward—one that protects access to food for all.”