CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away, the Coastal Bend Food Bank is ramping up efforts to ensure that local families have what they need to celebrate the holiday season.
According to Feeding America, one in six households in Texas faces food insecurity, affecting approximately two million families and five million Texans. As the holidays approach, the need for assistance is expected to rise in the region.
The Coastal Bend Food Bank, which serves eleven counties in the area, is working hard to meet that demand.
Coastal Bend Food Bank's communications coordinator, Micaela Stewart emphasized that the nonprofit's goal is to make sure everyone has enough to eat, especially during the holidays.
"There is no shame. We support everybody. We're here to ensure that everybody has a meal on their table, whether it's the holidays or any given day," Stewart said. "We want to make sure that everybody has the food they need so that they can sustain themselves."
Stewart noted that while the need for help exists year-round in South Texas, the holiday season always brings an uptick in requests.
"During the holidays, we always have an increase. Holidays are always difficult for everybody because it's that added cost that they are not normally expecting. Even if we know the holidays are coming, it's still something additional," she said.
Feeding America reports that Texas has a food insecurity rate of nearly 17%, which is over 4.5% higher than the national average.
It's been nearly 10 months since the grand opening of the food bank's new facility. Between the 108,000 sq. ft. storage facility and their mobile distribution, the food bank has been able to step up their game — ready to serve any and everyone who needs their help.
"We're definitely thankful for out brand new facility, but it's all because of the support from our donors, funding providers," Stewart said. "If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have this facility to help us continue to serve the needs of our community."
Stewarts adds that the food bank is always looking for volunteers. If you're interested in joining their fight against hunger, click here to learn more about volunteering opportunities.