Dallas, March 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is partnering with DoorDash to distribute meals to North Texans experiencing hunger who also face barriers to accessing food, such as immobility, lack of transportation or remote location. As part of its Project DASH initiative, DoorDash drivers deliver boxes from food banks to homes, allowing more people to receive the meals they need and providing food banks with additional resources to sustain their current elevated response and continue to assist seniors and other vulnerable communities post-pandemic.
NTFB has been recruiting member agencies of its Feeding Network to participate in the program since May 2021 and has recently expanded its collaboration to directly serve seniors facing hunger.
The North Texas Food Bank partners with the Texas Department of Agriculture to facilitate a senior food box program called Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP, locally known as People and Nutrition or PAN). Eligible participants who are 60-years-old or older can receive a pre-packaged box of non-perishables once a month at one of multiple distribution sites across NTFB’s 13-county service area. When available, NTFB also adds fresh produce to the CSFP distribution.
However, the pandemic presented additional risks for seniors that impacted their participation in the program, such as increased health concerns and transportation. The partnership with DoorDash offers a delivery option for seniors in the CSFP program who could not otherwise access a CSFP distribution location. Seniors in the program can schedule a delivery from NTFB’s website.
The North Texas Food Bank presently has seven member agencies of its Feeding Network serving as hubs for DoorDash drivers to pick up food before making deliveries. Seniors must live within a 10-mile radius of one of these hub locations to be eligible for a delivery. Zip codes currently served include: 75234, 75110, 75212, 75428, 75482, 75134 and 75048.
NTFB has delivered more than 889 meals to seniors since launching the program in early December. The Food Bank is working to enroll more seniors and identify additional hub locations to expand the service.
“As our senior population continues to grow, so does the number of older Americans who struggle with food insecurity,” said Madison Messinger, Programs Manager for NTFB. “With the additional risks from COVID-19, reaching North Texas seniors and ensuring they get the nourishment they need is more important than ever. We are excited about this new partnership with DoorDash that will remove barriers to access for seniors experiencing hunger and allow them to receive CSFP food directly to their homes. We are grateful for DoorDash’s commitment to hunger relief and strengthening communities.”
“DoorDash is honored to partner with the North Texas Food Bank to broaden food access,” said Brittany Graunke, DoorDash Drive Director of Government and Nonprofit. “Local delivery has helped food banks and food pantries provide food and other essentials to their clients in a way that emphasizes convenience and dignity. We’re excited to continue growing this work in a sustainable way for our food bank and food pantry partners across the country to continue to meet the ongoing need.”
To learn more about the delivery program, visit: https://ntfb.org/schedule-a-csfp-pan-delivery/.
###
About the North Texas Food Bank:
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked non-profit hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes food through a network of more than 200 Partner Agencies 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 more than 125 million nutritious meals, a 28% 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 root causes of food insecurity. The North Texas Food Bank is designated a 4-Star Exceptional organization by Charity Navigator based on its governance, integrity and financial stability. NTFB is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization.
About DoorDash:
DoorDash is a technology company that connects consumers with their favorite local and national businesses across the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and Germany. Founded in 2013, DoorDash enables local businesses to address consumers’ expectations of ease and immediacy and thrive in today’s convenience economy. By building the last-mile logistics infrastructure for local commerce, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time.
