A helping of help

The community responded to Houston Food Bank’s crisis, but it shows there is more to do.

In times of need, Houstonians are ready to help. We’ve seen that time and again.

After Hurricane Harvey, for instance, when torrential rains swamped thousands of homes and businesses and swallowed entire neighborhoods whole, robbing countless families of everything they own. Even as the storm still raged, volunteers turned out in boats and canoes to search for the stranded. They raced to shelters to donate clothes, blankets and food, and showed up at hotels where they served hot meals for the displaced.

They did it again after Tropical Storm Imelda, when floodwaters rose yet again, and hundreds of residents confronted the drenched ruins of their houses.

We saw it again this week, too. After an ammonia line broke in a chilled storage room at the Houston Food Bank, the nonprofit threw out 1.8 million pounds of refrigerated items — food that would ordinarily go to feed people in 18 Southeast Texas counties.

On most days, the food bank’s trucks distribute about 400,000 pounds of food, allowing it to serve 800,000 people a year. But on Nov. 13, the day after the break, operations ground to a near standstill. Only deliveries headed to 130 Kids Cafe after-school meal sites made it.

Then word got out about the food bank’s crisis — and, as Houston does, the city responded.

There were bulk donations from H-E-B, Kroger, Brothers Produce and Texas Harvest Company. Walmart chipped in $125,000. United Airlines pledged to match up to $100,000 in individual donations and promised 1,000 award miles to MileagePlus members who donated at least $50.

On social media, alerts sounded from everyone from a local moms group to singer Kam Franklin of The Suffers, who used Twitter to urge Houstonians to step up. A Nov. 21 post from the Houston Contractors Association noted “Thanksgiving is a week away so let's do all that we can to help out our fellow Houstonians!”

For Jeffrey Nielsen, executive vice president of the HCA, the gesture was a no-brainer. It’s Thanksgiving, after all. “People use this time to reflect and give thanks for what they have,” he said.

Many of us also use this time to give back, too. The food bank has received truckloads of fresh produce, turkeys, chicken, meat, potatoes and water. The lobby filled with donations as well, said food bank CEO Brian Greene.

By the end of last week, trucks were carrying about 600,000 pounds of food a day to about 1,500 organizations in the region. “We’re extremely grateful,” Greene said, adding a message for Houstonians. “Thank you very much for making this happen.”

The outpouring of generosity reminds us we are capable of coming together, despite whatever might divide us at other times. . But we must also remember that hunger and hardship are not seasonal. Every day, one in six Houstonians faces food insecurity. Across the city, there are working parents without enough food for the table. There are children who depend on weekend meals provided through programs like Backpack Buddy. There are homeless Houstonians in need of blankets, toiletries and other necessities.

And there are ways to help. Every day. In every part of the city.

Volunteers are still needed on Thanksgiving Day to help feed more than 25,000 families, seniors and veterans — many still suffering the after-effects of Harvey — at the City Wide Club’s annual Houston Super Feast at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Those who want to help can register to serve or make cash donations online at www.citywideclub.com, said regional director Stephanie Lewis.

Even after the Houston Food Bank catches up on stock, it will need help packing and loading items for distribution, Greene said. Other organizations, such as Second Servings of Houston, which provides more than 10,000 meals a week to 90 charity sites, could also use support.

Not sure how to lend a hand? Ask your church or neighborhood food pantry. Look for posts on your Nextdoor group or on community Facebook pages. Check out Volunteer Houston, run by Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, which connects individuals and companies with nonprofits that need assistance.

We can all make a difference in someone’s life — and enrich our own in the process. That is worth celebrating at any holiday gathering.