Dallas, Nov. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) announced today that together with its redistribution partners, Crossroads Community Services and Sharing Life, the North Texas feeding network will host more than 50+ holiday food distributions during the month of November to provide food to the nearly 700,000 people facing hunger within its 13-county service territory. This includes more than 250,000 children, or one in every five in our region, giving the NTFB service area the 4th highest level of food-insecure children in the country.
“The holiday season can be especially difficult for those who are already struggling to make ends meet each month and with inflated food, gas and housing costs, our neighbors in every zip code are facing increasingly difficult choices every day - deciding whether to purchase groceries or pay for other necessities such as gas, medicine or utilities,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. “During the holiday season, food doesn’t just provide nourishment, it is a way for people to connect, celebrate and spend time with loved ones. So, when it is missing, it leaves a hole bigger than hunger itself. The North Texas Food Bank and our feeding partners don’t just want to help provide necessities during the holiday season – together we’re helping people connect with the ones they love.”
Holiday Food Distributions
The holiday food distributions will take place at various food pantries and organizations across the NTFB service area throughout the month of November and the distributed food will vary by location. Although not all food distributions will feature seasonal food items, most will include turkeys, vegetables and other food items associated with the season.
The schedule for the holiday food distributions is located at https://ntfb.org/holiday-distributions/. Interested individuals are encouraged to check the website regularly for updates to the schedule and to choose food distributions within the county they live. The food is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and some of the distributing food pantries may ask for proof of residency to ensure that they are distributing the food to residents who live in the counties that they serve.
In addition to the holiday distributions, neighbors seeking food assistance can get access to food in several ways. They can find mobile food distributions across North Texas at https://ntfb.org/mobile-pantry/ or they can visit https://ntfb.org/our-programs/get-food-assistance/find-a-food-pantry/ to find a food pantry nearby that provides food and often other services. Neighbors can also contact the North Texas Food Bank to learn more about Senior Programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Senior Programs
The North Texas Food Bank directly partners with the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to distribute a senior food box program called CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program), locally known as PAN (People and Nutrition). If eligible, a participant can receive a pre-packaged box of non-perishables once a month provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) at one of the multiple distribution sites. Each month, those who are 60 years and above can receive an estimated 35 lbs. of USDA commodities in Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Fannin, Delta, Hopkins, Lamar, Grayson, Rockwall and Navarro counties. For more information on Senior Programs, visit https://ntfb.org/our-programs/senior-programs/.
SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) addresses the nutritional needs of low-income families and is one of the nation's most important defenses against hunger. NTFB helps to increase enrollment through application assistance and providing SNAP information in our 13-county service area to overcome barriers to participation. For more information on SNAP, visit https://ntfb.org/snap-information/.
For more information visit the North Texas Food Bank website www.ntfb.org for resources related to hunger assistance in multiple languages. Click on the American flag at the top of the page to change the website text to Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi or Chinese.
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About North Texas Food Bank
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked nonprofit hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes food through a diverse network of more than 400 feeding partners including food pantries and community organizations across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also provides food to children, seniors and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries.
In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to nearly 137 million nutritious meals, a 9% percent increase over the prior year. In response to the ongoing elevated hunger crisis, the organization has launched a $500 million campaign, Nourish North Texas, to provide more food for today and hope for tomorrow by addressing the barriers to food security that our neighbors face.
