More families turn to local food banks during summer months
The last day of school marks the start of up to 90 days of an unreliable food supply for families like those served by the Houston Food Bank. Sixty percent of children in Southeast Texas rely on free and reduced lunch during the school year, according to the Houston Food Bank. Children lose access to those meals when schools close for the summer.
The Houston Food Bank meets the challenge with creative outreach and volunteers. It is the nation’s largest food bank in distribution serving 18 counties. During the summer, the Kids Café program ramps us and provides more than 80,000 meals to children in Southeast Texas. There are other factors at play besides school out of session, namely the rising cost of food and inflation making it more difficult for families.
Food donations are needed
The Houston Food Bank is a member of the Feeding
America® network, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. Feeding America provides a summer action plan, “Getting Through the Summer,” a family-friendly toolkit to help families.
“One in eight people face hunger in America, including 12 million children. Over the past several months, 55% of Feeding America® member food banks have reported their overall food donations are down,” said Lauren Biedron, vice president of corporate partnerships, Feeding America®. She says donors, staff, and volunteers all play an important role in efforts to help communities get the nutrition they need now and throughout the year.
“Summer should be a time for kids to have fun, play with friends, and even vacation with family,
but for families served by the Houston Food Bank, it is a time of added stress and hardship,” said Brian Greene, president and CEO, Houston Food Bank.
The Houston Food Bank revealed that visits to its website have almost quadrupled since pre-pandemic levels, specifically searches for food pantry locations in neighborhoods or close by.
Volunteer during the summer
Greene says one of the biggest needs during summer is volunteers. “If we didn’t have volunteers to go the extra mile, we wouldn’t be able to make it happen,” he said. Recently, Greene recognized 81 companies in the Houston area, which included Aramco Americas, with a 2021 President’s Volunteer Service Award. The Houston Food Bank is a certified organization recognizing volunteers for service
that positively impacts communities and inspires those around them to act.
Greene credits Houston’s corporate partners for playing an active role in supporting the Houston
Food Bank not only with financial support but also advocating for volunteerism and encouraging employees to volunteer. “We rely on the generosity of the community for donations of food, money, and volunteer time,” he said. One million people in 18 southeast Texas counties are experiencing food insecurity. A $10 donation makes 30 meals possible. Individuals interested in volunteering can register online at www.houstonfoodbank.org/ volunteer (Aramco Americas supports the Houston Food Bank and food banks nationwide through its partnership with Feeding America®)