Taking care of others is in Lisa’s nature. When her mother fell ill three years ago, Lisa moved into her house to help care for her. When her daughter was struggling with addiction, Lisa stepped in and took care of three grandchildren.
But looking after an aging mother in addition to growing children is not easy. Sometimes Lisa can’t make her limited income stretch far enough.
This is where the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) and its Feeding Network of more than 200 partner agencies can help. It’s through one of these agencies that Lisa found food assistance.
Each week, the food she receives ensures that everyone in her household have nutritious meals.
Lisa is just one of the many faces of hunger. More than 800,000 people in North Texas — including 1 in 5 children — face food insecurity. This means they don’t know where their next meal will come from. The NTFB provides nutritious food to children, families, and seniors across its 13-county service area to help minimize this struggle.
Through the combined work of the NTFB and its partner agencies, such efforts as the School Pantry and Mobile Pantry programs provide local neighbors with both food and critical wraparound services that address the root causes of hunger.
Feeding the hungry has never been more crucial. Communities are still recovering from the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic that has led to increased hunger needs. Last year, the NTFB provided access to more than 125 million meals — the most annual meals ever in its history.
And the impact is felt in homes like Lisa’s.
This food makes all the difference, Lisa said, because “it’s meals throughout” — meaning no one in her family must skip meals. And if she ever has food left over from what her family needs?
“I pay it forward,” Lisa said, in the true spirit of the holiday season.
The North Texas Food Bank is helping neighbors like Lisa nourish three generations in her household this holiday season. To learn more about the NTFB or make a donation, visit: www.faceofhunger.org.
