Autumn Bohannan, content material advertising supervisor for the West Texas Food Bank, stated the meals bank is in need of each financial and meals donations this vacation season. (Kim Smith | Odessa American)
The West Texas Food Bank, which helps feed residents in 19 counties, is seeing an explosion within the variety of folks searching for assist, increased even than throughout COVID-19, stated Chief Executive Officer Libby Campbell.
The meals bank is on monitor to distribute 15.6 million kilos of meals this yr, in comparison with the 13.2 million kilos it distributed final yr, Campbell stated. Prior to the pandemic, the meals bank would serve 6.8 million kilos a yr.
In Odessa alone, the meals bank helps 500-600 households per week, stated Autumn Bohannan, content material advertising supervisor.
“Most of the folks we’re seeing having jobs and over 25% of them have by no means wanted help earlier than,” Campbell stated. However, she additionally stated they’re seeing a rise within the variety of people who find themselves homeless or residing inside their automobiles.
West Texas Food Bank volunteers put together for the weekly drive-through distribution occasion in Odessa Wednesday. (Kim Smith | Odessa American)
Last week, 365 sought help through the American Legion distribution when the standard quantity was round 80, she stated. They’re additionally seeing an increased need in terms of the bank’s Food 2 Kids applications and senior applications.
She attributes roughly 85% of the rise to inflation.
During the pandemic, the USDA helped with commodities, however it’s not doing so, Campbell stated.
As a end result, the meals bank hopes folks will come via for them with financial and meals donations. She’d additionally like to see extra companies and church buildings manage meals drives. They additionally need volunteers to assist on distribution meals traces, packing containers, separating donations.
Campbell stated she was happy to announce that through the vacation season Abell-Hanger Foundation will match everybody’s donation greenback as much as $100,000.
The meals bank has 100 non-profit companies, most of that are church buildings and small meals pantries which are positioned in low-income areas.
One of these companions is St. James Missionary Baptist Church.
Chris Walker, a member of St. James and president of the Black Chamber of Commerce-Permian Basin, introduced this week they’ll be internet hosting a vacation feed for the second yr in a row as a result of increased need.
On Dec. 9, the church will host its month-to-month meals field giveaway, however on Dec. 16, church members and chamber members will present a sizzling take-away-meal, toys, clothes and jackets for these in need, Walker stated.
“We have households which are nonetheless struggling…our numbers have continuously increased and that’s not good. We’ve observed within the final three months our numbers have increased,” Walker stated of the church’s field program.
When the church started its program, members had been handing out 75 containers a month.
“This previous Friday we ran out at 125 containers. We needed to flip some automobiles away which we actually hated,” Walker stated.
He, too, attributes the rise to inflation.
“It’s unreal, man. I’m pondering to myself, I’m a retired oil discipline particular person and issues are fairly costly even for myself and you are taking somebody that’s on a set revenue and their salaries haven’t been adjusted for inflation. They’re getting their similar test, however the worth on meals and the entire groceries are nonetheless going up,” Walker stated. “We’ve had some folks mainly inform us at our meals distributions that if it weren’t for these organizations that hand out meals, they don’t understand how they’d eat on the finish of the month.”
During final yr’s vacation occasion Campbell stated the chamber and church fed 220 households. He remembers one gentleman arriving in a T-shirt and shorts regardless of freezing temperatures.
“He didn’t have something, however he was capable of finding pants, a jacket and a few shirts and he was in a position to put on them away,” Walker stated. “It was actually touching that we had been in a position to assist him out and we had been simply glad he wasn’t too proud to not settle for.”
As for this yr, Campbell suspects they’ll be seeing extra households.
“I’d like to see our numbers lower as a result of which means we’re doing higher, but when we now have to, I’d love to achieve at the least 250 households,” he stated.
Santa made an look final yr and so they suspect he’ll discover time in his schedule to come back once more this yr, Walker stated.
Because the new meal giveaway might be catered, Walker stated the church and chamber would be thankful for financial donations. They’re additionally on the lookout for clothes, jacket and toy donations.
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