NTFB Distributes Over 30,000 Turkeys this Thanksgiving

The North Texas Food Bank partnered with the University of North Texas at Dallas and Albertsons/Tom Thumb for a holiday distribution and provided turkeys to partners throughout its 13 counties.

The North Texas Food Bank provided more than 30,000 turkeys to families facing hunger across North Texas this holiday season.

The turkeys were given out during a holiday distribution hosted by NTFB, the University of North Texas at Dallas and Albertsons/Tom Thumb on November 23, through NTFB’s partner pantries and community organizations, and during other largescale events by partners.

“The holidays can be particularly tough for those struggling to make ends meet,” says Trisha Cunningham, NTFB President and CEO. “Food is not just nourishment; it fosters connection, celebration and time with loved ones. When it’s absent, the impact goes beyond hunger. The North Texas Food Bank and our partners strive to ensure people have the resources to connect with their loved ones.”

A total of 839 families were served during the November 23 event at UNTD. The first 500 cars received a turkey, and each family received 60 pounds of pantry staples and produce plus a $50 gift card to Tom Thumb/Albertsons. The first family got in line at 3:50 a.m. to ensure they received a turkey.

“This helps a lot. We need all the help we can get—the price of food is so high,” says neighbor Demetra. “This is very appreciated, especially for the people who can’t afford extra food around the holidays.”

Demetra lives with congenital heart failure and is no longer able to work. She receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, but says when it comes to extras, like a Thanksgiving meal to share with her family, she simply can’t afford it. Her 87-year-old grandmother, three adult children and two grandkids are coming for Thanksgiving, so Demetra says she’s especially grateful that she now has the ingredients needed to make the dishes her family loves.

“My grandmother taught me all the tricks and trades of the kitchen, so I’m trying to keep the traditions going,” she says.

Along with the food distributed at UNTD, the NTFB also provided around 30,000 turkeys that were distributed through its Feeding Network of 500 partner pantries and community organizations.

NTFB also partnered with the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center on a distribution that served 1,300 and with the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas on its Food and Health Resources Fair. Hosted November 16 at Fair Park Coliseum, the Food and Health Resource Fair provided families with turkeys, 60 pounds of food and access to a host of other resources, such as health screenings, diapers and career assistance.

“Dallas has many things to be proud of. One of the many things that is a challenge is we’re one of the highest for food insecurity in the nation,” Susan Hoff, Chief Strategy & Impact Officer for United Way, told CBS Texas. “That’s not something we want to be No. 1 in.”

According to Feeding America, Texas now leads the nation in hunger, with around 5 million people experiencing food insecurity. In the 13 counties served by the NTFB, nearly 778,000 people face hunger, including 1 in 5 children.

Community Lifeline Center in McKinney, one of the partner agencies that received turkeys, says they’re seeing those higher numbers in their pantry, with neighbors telling them higher costs for groceries, housing and other necessities make it tough to afford everything. They serve over 700 families a week and invited neighbors to drive through and pick up a turkey on Friday, November 22.

“It is a blessing,” said Marietta, a mom to three teenagers who is out of work due to a back injury. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had a turkey this year. We’d be eating whatever we already have at home.”

Joe Posada-Triana, Director of the Office of Student Connections and Support at UNTD, says they’ve seen an uptick in need among students as well as their southern Dallas neighbors, who can receive food during monthly distributions on campus.

“We know it’s a food dessert for healthy options, so being able to do this for the community on a monthly basis is critical,” he says. “And doing this during the holidays is so important.”

Frederick, a father of five who received food during the UNTD/NTFB holiday distribution, agrees. “This means everything,” he says. “It’s been really hard, and this right here is more than a lifesaver.”

At UNTD, the demand was so great that about 100 cars had to be turned away because all of the food had been given out.