‘Hunger Action Month’ Starts Today

Today marks the beginning of the East Texas Food Bank's 'Hunger Action Month!' For the entire month of September we are focusing our efforts on-air and on-line to bring about awareness of the growing hunger problem right here in East Texas. The facts are startling, but there are several ways you can help! More after the jump.

Did you know that 1 in 4 children, 1 in 5 adults, and 1 in 7 seniors struggles with hunger in East Texas? In fact, 183,000 East Texans are currently seeking emergency food assistance. That's an increase on 90% in just the last four years.

The East Texas Food Bank serves a 26 county area with nearly 428,000 of the people in those counties living at or near the poverty level. In other words, these people don't know where their next meal is coming from. The East Texas Food Bank works with nearly 200 partner agencies like PATH and the Salvation Army, area food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters who help distribute the food to those in need. Last year the East Texas Food Bank distributed over 19.5 million pounds of food! In case you're counting, that's over 15 million meals!

So, you may be asking yourself, "how can I help?" I'm glad you asked! Just remember funds, food, and friends.

Funds:

Every dollar that is donated to the East Texas Food Bank helps provide 8 meals! That means a $10 donation can turn in to 80 meals! Pretty hard to imagine since you can;t even buy a gallon of milk for a dollar. The East Texas Food Bank has generous partners that can leverage your donation and help stretch every dollar! To make it easy, we have a special website link for you to donate securely on-line!

Food:

You can always donate non-perishable food items, especially canned vegetables, canned fruit, canned meats and even peanut butter! To make it easy to donate food, Brookshire's has teamed up with us and the East Texas Food Bank this month. Brookshire's will have prepackaged nonperishable food items that you can donate! When you are in the check out line be sure to pick up one of these extra sacks of groceries and help your neighbors in need!

Friends:

Volunteers are always needed to help the East Texas Food Bank to sort, inspect, and repackage. Sign up to volunteer on the East Texas Food Bank website or by calling 903-597-FOOD

Bottom line - DO SOMETHING! Don't let our friends and neighbors here in East Texas go hungry.