KWES Midland/Odessa- Winter Weather Hurts Food Bank, Clients

Nick Lawton
NewsWest 9

WEST TEXAS - Empty food bank shelves are one of the bad signs of the season. Pallets of food on them will be gone in a week-and-a-half.

But the need for food doesn't freeze along with the weather outside.

In fact, it starts heating up.

"About 30% of our clients regularly have to choose between turning on the heat or buying food," Food Resource Coordinator, Earl Graham, said. "If it goes up $50, they've got $50 less to spend on food. Poorer families in the colder months take in 200 calories less per day just because they don't have the money."

It's also in this time of the year that the food bank struggles to meet that higher demand.

While the bank said donations have been great for Thanksgiving and Christmas, for reasons they can't figure out, donations dry up in January.

"They really slow down and I don't know if it's because it's all tax-deductible or people want to get their donations in before the first of the year, but now's a good time to make a big difference in a poorer person's life right now, to give them food to eat," Graham said.

What the food bank can't figure out is why donations dry up at the same time, year after year.

But their message to West Texas is that hunger is a year-round fight, one that intensifies as the chill sets in.

They also said the smallest contribution can lead to more full stomachs than people may think.

"A dollar will provide four meals. At $5, we'd actually provide 20 meals," Graham said.

The food bank said even if you can't give money and can only give those cans of food lying around the house, they said they are in desperate need of proteins: peanut butter, beans and any kind of meat.

They're hoping this coming January bucks the trend of those in years past.

To donate to the bank, you can call them at (432) 580-0807 or drop off donations at their office at 1008 E. 2nd St. in Odessa.