Dallas, June 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) announced changes to its Board of Directors today, including a new Board Chair: Jerri Garison. This new term begins on July 1, the start of the NTFB’s fiscal year. In addition to the new Board Chair, the Food Bank will welcome two new Board Members to its diverse team: Reverend Dr. Lael C. Melville and Tom Nelson.
Jerri Garison has served on the Food Bank board for four years and is following Michael Brookshire, who chaired the Board of NTFB for two years and has been a Board member for seven years. Brookshire made a tremendous impact on the organization; he drove the development of the three-year operational strategy that allows the organization to optimize its food distribution and impact across the North Texas charity ecosystem. In addition, he helped launch the Nourish North Texas campaign in September of 2021 to raise $500 million in food and funds by the end of June 2023. The campaign will allow the organization to fund critical operations in support of its strategic plan and grow its Feeding Network.
“The North Texas Food Bank was fortunate to have Michael Brookshire chairing our board during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. “Under Michael’s leadership, the North Texas Food Bank provided a record number of meals while developing a long-term operational strategy for providing food for today and hope for tomorrow for the more than 800,000 people facing hunger in North Texas. Our team is deeply grateful for Michael’s contributions and we know that Jerri’s experience and expertise will be invaluable as we focus on building innovative partnerships and programs that address the barriers to food security.”
In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to more than 125 million nutritious meals, a 64% percent increase since before the pandemic. The NTFB distributes an average of more than two million meals each week through a feeding network of more than 400 partner agencies and organizations who are in neighborhoods and communities where neighbors who are hungry work and live.
“The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the hunger crisis, both creating and exposing unprecedented food insecurity in every zip code that we serve,” said Jerri Garison, incoming Board Chair for the North Texas Food Bank. “And now with the current inflated prices of food and gas, we are once again seeing hunger needs that equal those during the height of the pandemic. I am honored to be part of an organization and community that is committed to helping neighbors facing hunger and I want to thank Michael, my fellow Board Members, and the NTFB staff for the difference they have made in North Texas.”
Trisha Cunningham added, “we are extremely fortunate to have a Board of Directors comprised of some of Dallas’ most dedicated, strategic leaders. These additions not only strengthen the NTFB as an organization, but they will also have a material impact on how we support communities across our 13-county service area. We would also like to thank these directors who completed their service on the Board: Community Volunteers, Katherine Perot Reeves and Flauren Bender, (both of whom remain on the Nourish North Texas fundraising campaign leadership team); Tyler Cooper with Cooper Aerobics; and Wan Kim with Smoothie King. Their collective contributions helped the organization grow to serve significantly more people at a time when the community needed it most."
The Food Bank welcomes the new Chair and the following Board Members:
Jerri Garison MSHA, BSN, RN, leads Baylor Scott & White - Plano while also coordinating three additional hospitals, Baylor Scott & White – McKinney, Baylor Scott & White – Lake Pointe, and Baylor Scott & White – Centennial. Jerri is also responsible for collaboration among the respective business entities within her geographic region and assists with facility growth and development, standardizing services, developing strategic initiatives, physician growth and development, and stewardship and quality improvement.
Reverend Dr. Lael C. Melville is co-founder and CEO of the Melville Family Foundation and has a doctorate from Rutgers and a bachelor's from Princeton, both in psychology, and recently earned a Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) degree from Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology. She is a former professor of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. The Melville Family Foundation was established in 2018 and focuses on food insecurity as well as closing the education gap for black and brown children in South Dallas, where Lael regularly volunteers. Lael also serves on the board and executive committee of Uplift Education, DFW’s network of 45 free public charter schools.
Tom Nelson serves as Senior Vice President of Operations for the Southern Division of Albertsons Companies, which includes Albertsons and Tom Thumb stores in North Texas as well as stores in Houston, Austin and Louisiana. Before his current role, he served as the Area Vice President of Operations for the Southwest Division and Southern California Division. Tom has served on the Easter Seals-Nevada Board of Directors and currently serves on the Western Association of Food Chains Board of Directors. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from The University of Phoenix and is a graduate of the University of Southern California Food Industry Management Program.
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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 400 Partner Agencies and organizations across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also provides food to children, seniors and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries.
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.
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