City officials will compete to pack boxes to feed needy

TEXARKANA — City officials from both sides of the state line will compete Thursday in a food box packing challenge to benefit Harvest Texarkana.

Texarkana, Texas, Mayor Bob Bruggeman, Texarkana, Arkansas, Mayor Allen Brown and members of each city council/board of directors will compete in the challenge at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Harvest’s Warehouse, 3120 E. 19th Street.

Teams will have 30 minutes to pack as many pantry boxes as possible, with the winning city side earning the “Harvest Hunger Hero Packing Champions” title.

The food boxes will be handed out in Harvest Texarkana’s last mobile pantry of the year.

“We are grateful to both Texarkana mayors and city leadership for coming together for a little good-natured competition, all in the name of hunger relief,” said Executive Director Camille Wrinkle in an announcement. “It’s important to remember, especially this time of year, that hunger doesn’t take a holiday. The need in 2020 has been constant.”

Jennifer Teeters, development director for Harvest Texarkana, said about 1,000 families will receive three food boxes each, so 3,000 food boxes will be packed.

“It’s a lot of boxes and we were just trying to think of fun, creative ways to do it,” Teeters said.

The only restrictions on food will be just two families per car. There are no other requirements.

Harvest Regional Food Bank has had a record-setting year in response to the COVID-19 crisis, distributing five million pounds of food in 2020 — a 55% increase over this time last year.

Harvest serves Southwest Arkansas and Northeast Texas through food banking, food rescue, school backpack and mobile pantry programs.