Meet Your Neighbors
With the support of a North Texas Food Bank partner pantry, these families don’t have to choose between buying groceries and paying for another necessary bill. Thank you for partnering with us as we work to ensure every North Texan has access to the food they need to thrive. Every $1 you give now will help us provide 3 meals.
Without the support of a North Texas Food Bank partner pantry, Brenda says she’s not sure how she would make it. “This helps us tremendously,” says Brenda, who cares for her 16-, 14- and 8-year-old grandkids. “I really thank them for helping us to keep going.”
Brenda works for UPS but had to take time off for surgery and is currently living on workers compensation disability benefits. With the cost of groceries, housing and other necessities remaining high—plus back-to-school costs for her grandchildren this August—Brenda says her fixed income just isn’t enough.
“This time we’re living in, it’s rough,” she says. “To not have to pay for this food, I’m so grateful for what they’re doing.”
On a recent weekday, she visited the pantry alongside her sister, who is also raising grandbabies. Her sister recently experienced a stroke, so Brenda wants to be there to ensure she has what she needs for herself and the children.
The women shopped together with a volunteer in the client choice-style pantry in South Dallas, selecting noodles, meatballs, produce and other groceries they know their grandkids will enjoy. “I’m glad we found out about this place,” Brenda says.
Give now to support neighbors like Brenda.
Ana began visiting an NTFB partner near her senior living complex a few years ago. She’d retired from her career as a museum professional and had been supplementing her social security by working as an interpreter since she is multilingual.
However, her translation jobs tapered off during the pandemic and she struggled to pay for groceries and high utility bills without some extra help.
She began receiving boxes each month packed with food by volunteers. Recently, the pantry used NTFB grant funds to transform its facility into a neighbor choice-style pantry that allows individuals to shop for the foods they know they need and can use.
Anna says she was thankful for the boxes of food but she’s extra appreciative of the chance to select her groceries, especially since she and her husband often can’t eat everything that was included in the boxes. “I’m very, very grateful, and I love that it’s set up like a super market now,” she says. “We pick out vegetables, fruit, rice, things like that.”
Give now to support neighbors like Anna.
NTFB partner pantries help ensure families like Monica’s don’t have to choose between paying for housing or buying nutritious food for their children. “Inflation is one of the biggest things,” says the director of an NTFB partner pantry. “For every dollar that we can save somebody in groceries, that’s another dollar they have to put toward rent or their electric bill or gas.”
Give now to support neighbors like Monica.
While he waits for his hours to get bumped up to full-time, Edgar is grateful that he has the support of a North Texas Food Bank partner pantry to feed his family.
The Garland resident is working part-time hours at a hardware store but says his pay is not enough to cover the cost of groceries and their other bills—especially until he receives more hours from his employer.
“The price of groceries is so high,” he says, adding that when their 14- and 9-year-old kids are home during spring and summer breaks, their budget is strained further. “and especially in the summer with the kids home—they want a snack every single minute,” he says, adding that he and his wife have a 14- and 9-year-old. “They want a snack every single minute.”
Edgar visits a partner pantry near his home twice a month for pantry staples, snacks, protein and fresh produce. “The kids love it, especially the snacks,” he says. “And we like that we get chicken and things we can cook with.”