Alpine Avalanche- "Meeting region’s needs a challenge for West Texas Food Bank"

By Amanda Tilley / reporter@alpineavalanche.com Alpine Avalanche | 0 comments

The West Texas Food Bank will head to Presidio on Aug. 17 for its monthly food outreach, but unless donations quickly increase, people will be leaving without the food needed to nourish their families.

"We don't have any meat to give them and we're worried about the number of canned goods we have. We're running out [of food]," said Paige Phelps, West Texas Food Bank's director of marketing and community relations.

Each month the food bank usually ships 1 million pounds of food to 22 West Texas counties. This need was not met in July and so far August isn't looking much better.

"We're doing the best we can," said Phelps, "but we need to do better."

The Food Bank is tasked with providing meals to families and individuals who are "food insecure." This means they will have to rely on some source other than themselves to get food - or as Phelps puts it, "they don't know where their next meal is coming from."

Statewide, 17.8 percent of Texans are food insecure.

While Brewster Country is fairing slightly better than the state average at 15.5 percent (roughly 1,400 residents), neighboring Presidio County has the second-highest rate of food insecurity in Texas. Almost 30 percent of the county's residents are considered food insecure.

Food insecurity in children is also a huge worry for Phelps and everyone else at West Texas Food Bank. Nearly 45 percent of the people served through the local food bank are individuals under age 18.

Phelps recently helped a couple with a 15-month-old baby when they came to the Food Bank for an emergency food box. Like almost half of the food bank's customers, the father worked, but he wasn't making enough money to make ends meet and they had been feeding the baby only toast. With the Food Bank's help, the couple left with enough supplies to last a few days.

When discussing childhood hunger, Phelps sees clear parallels to the number of Texas children who are hungry and the recent release of the Texas Education Agency's accountability rankings, in which most schools either declined or stayed the same.

She describes poverty as a "many-headed beast" and sees one of the biggest struggles in poverty as being able to provide healthy food to children.

"When they're [children] well-fed, they pay attention better, behavior problems go down, and their grades, reading comprehension and participation go up," Phelps said.

Eventually, Phelps hopes to start a school program like Food2Kids, which sends prepared or easy-to-prepare snacks and food home with students on Fridays so they won't go several days without something to eat while they're out of school. She is currently looking for a club or organization that would be interested in spearheading this program.

Though Phelps is excited about beginning programs such as this, right now she is mainly concerned with bringing donations into the Food Bank. While she realizes that in this economy a lot of people are struggling, she points out that donations don't have to be large.

"Give a can, give two cans. It's so easy to help your neighbor," said Phelps, who suggests having a food drive to generate donations. "Even small food drives can help. Little things do make a difference here and the impact will be felt immediately."

Monetary donations are also accepted and are tax-deductable. Ninety-five cents of every dollar donated to the Food Bank goes directly to West Texans, so the money is staying in the community, and four meals can be purchased for just $1.

"We love cans, we love dollars, we're just happy to have both," Phelps said.

To make a donation, simply contact WTFB and they will make arrangements for donation drop-offs.

Regardless of how people choose to donate, Phelps sees it as not only helping those in need, but helping yourself as well.

"We're all scared about the recession, we're all scared about the economy, but the fact of the matter is, if you don't feed people it's a huge problem. The basic tenets of life are food, shelter and water, and we provide food and water. Giving is a very basic, cathartic thing. We can feed people in our community," Phelps said.

September 11 is the National Day of Service, and Phelps said that organizing a food drive would be a perfect tie-in. West Texas Food Bank is also looking for volunteers, especially once donations pick up.

"Once we get the food in, which I know will come, we'll need volunteers to help us sort it," Phelps said.

Having enough food to feed their family can be a life-changing event for people, but those huge changes just aren't happening in West Texas right now.

"We just don't have enough food to help people change their lives. We need to give them more," Phelps said.

What can be donated to the West Texas Food Bank?

Food items most needed:

Canned meat (ham, tuna, meat spread)

Peanut butter

Chunky soups, beef stew

Macaroni and cheese

Pastas

Spaghetti sauce

Dry cereal, oatmeal

Rice

Dry and canned beans

Canned vegetables and fruits

100% fruit juice in cans or plastic bottles

Sugar-free, low-sodium and no-salt items

Personal care items most needed:

Bar soap

Shampoo

Toothpaste and toothbrushes

Diapers and baby wipes

Detergent

Deodorant

Hairbrushes

No fresh fruits or vegetables and no glass containers. Only non-perishable items may be donated.

For more information, call the West Texas Food Bank at 432-837-1580 or visit www.wtxfoodbank.org.