About Us

In 1982, four Dallas women pledged to fight hunger in North Texas. These visionary leaders – Jo Curtis, Kathryn Hall, Lorraine Griffin Kircher, and Liz Minyard – began collecting and distributing donations of surplus food and grocery products through a network of charitable organizations across North Texas, establishing the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB). 

This network covered 13 counties that comprise the current NTFB service area: Dallas, Denton, Collin, Fannin, Rockwall, Hunt, Grayson, Kaufman, Ellis, Navarro, Lamar, Delta, and Hopkins

Through persistence and generous community support, in its first year, the NTFB distributed more than 400,000 pounds of food to our neighbors experiencing hunger. In 1983, members of NTFB’s organizing committee joined members of the Texas Legislature to help pass the Good Faith Donor Act, which protected donors from liability of donations or donated product. After this, many more North Texans were inspired to donate.

Today, nearly 40 years later, the NTFB is still supported by a generous and compassionate community that cares deeply about helping North Texans achieve food security. As the hunger crisis has grown over the years, NTFB has expanded from distributing 400,000 pounds of food a year to distributing 144 million meals in its last fiscal year – more annual meals than ever in our history – through its Feeding Network of nearly 500 Partner Agencies. 

As we commemorate our 40th anniversary of serving our neighbors facing hunger, we know the need is greater than it has ever been. The COVID-19 pandemic has both caused and exposed an unprecedented level of food insecurity in our community. According to Feeding America, approximately 640,000 North Texans do not know where their next healthy meal will come from – including 1 in 6 children. North Texas the 4th most food insecure region in the nation.

The NTFB is committed to providing Food for Today and Hope for Tomorrow as we continue to work toward our vision of creating a hunger-free and healthy North Texas.