East Texas Food Bank continues to serve kids in need over summer

TYLER, Texas — The East Texas Food Bank serves 26 counties and works with several organizations to feed families across the region.

“What that provides to that family is not only safety and security for today, but it relieves a little bit of budget,” said East Texas Food Bank Chief Impact Officer Kim Morris said. “So maybe they can do some other things with those dollars to hopefully prevent themselves from being in that situation long term. So it’s an incredibly fulfilling role, and it’s an honor to have the opportunity to do it.”

For rural communities, access to food can be extremely limited compared to cities like Tyler. The food bank serves as a lifeline for people whose budgets are tight and need help to put meals on the table.

“We have about 35 sites, and we expect to serve about 103,000 meals this summer already, we’ve served 33,000 meals,” Morris said.

The meals matter, but so does the message: no child should go hungry. And yet, in East Texas, one in four children are facing food insecurity.

“Food insecurity basically just means that an individual doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from,” said ETFB CEO David Emerson said. “So people fall in and out of food insecurity. So sometimes it may be children who you know, they’re getting food through the school programs during the week, but on the weekends, they’re not sure where those meals are going to come from.”

Rural decline, rising prices and inflation all play a part. Emerson said the food bank hasn’t returned to the pre-pandemic demand.

“There’s about 44 million meals that are missing in East Texas to address that food insecurity. And so we’re doing our part to. to try to make sure that those people have that food available to them when and if they need it,” Emerson said. 

And the kids are just glad the meals are there.

“The food is really good. I didn’t really like the milk, though, and I eally like the little bars. It’s they’re kind of like fruit bars,” said Rice Elementary School student Nevaeh McGee.

For families in need or for those who want to help, easttexasfoodbank.org lists meal sites, hours, and ways to volunteer or donate. The summer food program continues until school starts in August and then their after school programs will start.