BEAUMONT, Texas — The coronavirus is causing a shortage in the food supply and 12News and the Southeast Texas Food bank are working together to make sure no child is hungry at home.
We’re asking you to give back to our community and donate to help fund the Southeast Texas Food Bank’s “Backpack Program.”
This program helps alleviate child hunger by providing hungry children with nutritious and easy-to-prepare food at times when other resources are not available.
The Southeast Texas Food Bank ordinarily distributes enough food for more than 600,000 meals per month, but the potential demand for services in this food shortage climate may be unprecedented and could possibly double or triple that requirement.
The Southeast Texas Food Bank is trying to be in position to have enough food and other resources ready to react to any number of scenarios that might occur, including lengthy school closures, quarantines, large scale work furloughs, or long term economic downturn.
Here’s how can you help fill more backpacks… Visit SETXFoodBank.org/Get-Involved to donate or become a volunteer.
Currently volunteer activities are scheduled and the food bank asks that those who have signed up to volunteer, but who may feel ill, not to report to the food bank as a standard preventative action to keep other volunteers and staff safe.
MORE | Sign up to volunteer
Volunteer registration for a specific shift can also be removed at SETXFoodBank.org/Get-Involved if you are feeling ill.
In times of disaster when situations are fluid and needs are unpredictable the best way to help the food bank is through a monetary contribution.
A $1 donation to the Food Bank is sufficient to help it supply enough food to generate 3 meals for the community, so for example, your $100 donation could provide 300 meals, enough to help feed a family of four for 25 days.
Some of the priorities the Food Bank is focused on at this time are…
- Assembly of food boxes for senior citizens for distribution through its ordinary program to assist economically challenged seniors, as well as for special distributions to seniors in senior living communities.
- Assembly of food sacks for students to supplement weekend feeding of students fed by the school districts' current weekday "grab-and-go" food distributions.
- Assembly of food boxes for general distribution through its partner agencies or during special disaster distributions around the community.