Turkeys Tackling Hunger A Success
The 9th Annual Turkeys Tackling Hunger Campaign has officially come to an end, and it was the Food Bank’s most successful to date! The campaign kicked off in September with all cities and the county proclaiming the month as Hunger Action Month, and ended on December 1st, which was Giving Tuesday. The community really came together in order to ensure families in need across Hays County were able to enjoy the benefit of a home-cooked holiday meal. 10,910 individuals were able to enjoy a holiday meal prepared at home this year, and 100 more families were given the opportunity to pick up a Christmas tree, a turkey, and a trimmings box on December 10th.
There were 46 community food/fund drive events, local sponsorships, individual and corporate donations, and in-kind donations totaling over $127,000 and 34,000 pounds of food this year. The Hays County Food Bank is very thankful to have such great support this season! This year has been difficult for many families and individuals throughout the county, and thankfully the community has stepped up to show its support.
The Food Bank had 290 volunteers to help weigh, sort, stock, and distribute food from the many food drives from September through November. Volunteers also helped with the day to day operations, helped distribute the many holiday meal boxes and helped with our special holiday tree, turkey, and trimming distribution. 22% of these volunteers were brand new, and the Food Bank was so happy to have them.
All donations from this campaign were used to purchase the supplies for the holiday meal boxes and to ensure the Food Bank is able to continue feeding hungry people in Hays County. With more than 25,000 food secure in our community, the Food Bank will need continued support in order to continue tackling hunger throughout the year. Volunteers and food/fund drives are beneficial throughout the entire year, as hunger knows no season. Regardless of natural disasters or holidays, there are still local families and individuals who will need help. The Hays County Food Bank will be here for those who need it.
You can help eliminate hunger in Hays County by making a donation to support the Hays County Food Bank. Your gift enables the Food Bank to provide nutritious food to our community. Visit haysfoodbank.org or call (512)392-8300 to make a donation. Go to www.haysfoodbank.org for details about public distributions, volunteer opportunities, the Get FED, HOPE and YEAH programs, and upcoming events.
The Hays County Food Bank, along with more than 40 partner agencies, distributed 528,964 pounds of food to more than 18,000 food insecure residents, including senior citizens and many others facing economic challenges, in 2014. “Food security” refers to the availability of food and one’s access to it. The Food Bank is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit haysfoodbank.org or visit us on Facebook or Twitter at @HaysFoodBank.
