Partner Agency Spotlight: Brother Bill’s Helping Hand

Mercy and her sons, Manuel and Johnny, pick up healthy foods from Brother Bill’s Helping Hand. After her husband passed away from cancer, Mercy did not know how she would care for her growing boys on a single income. To read Mercy’s story, click here.

The North Texas Food Bank is proud to partner with Brother Bill’s Helping Hand in providing access to nutritious meals for our neighbors in West Dallas. While this area of our city has recently received much attention due to increased development and growth, many neighbors continue to struggle with food insecurity. Economic growth is not guaranteed to translate across communities, but through our work with Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, our neighbors in West Dallas who struggle finding their next meal – have a resource for nutritious food in addition to other critical services and programs.

“Many of our neighbors first came for food,” said Adair Neely, Director of Programs and Operations at Brother Bill’s Helping Hand. “And then they heard about our financial literacy education programs, our health clinic and other free resources. Many have now completed job training or learned English. But they first came for food. They had to be fed first.”

The North Texas Food Bank works alongside more than 200 partner agencies to provide access to nutritious food at hundreds of feeding locations throughout our 13-county service area. Our work ensures partner agencies have the capacity to provide an abundance of healthy foods especially fresh produce.

At Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, our food insecure neighbors in West Dallas not only receive access to a free in-house grocery store, but a multitude of wrap-around services and programs that focus on fighting the causes and effects of poverty and food insecurity. From a health clinic, job training program, English lessons, health and wellness classes, a financial literacy program and more, Brother’s Bills Helping Hand is a holistic community center striving to serve the whole family.

As the Food Bank works to provide 92 million meals annually by 2025, we know that it will take collaboration and innovation to reach this goal. Our partnership with Brother Bill’s Helping Hand is an example of this formula, and demonstrates what is possible when our neighbors are fed and have access to critical support services.

“We just could not survive without the bulk food provided by the North Texas Food Bank,” said Neely. “And we have story after story of successes, of our neighbors becoming self-sufficient and thriving – but they first came to our grocery store.”

To support the North Texas Food Bank and our work empowering our partner agencies, visit: www.ntfb.org/get-involved.

By Caroline Mandel, Writer

Caroline Mandel joined the North Texas Food Bank in fall 2018, and is passionate about sharing client stories – the face of hunger is changing and she is committed to raising awareness surrounding hidden hunger and hardship.