Local Food Bank Getting Needed Help,
Late Saturday evening, Judy Moore, the Executive Director of the Community Chest, announced that the local food bank will receive much needed assistance from the National Guard. Judy said, “It has been a challenge to keep the food bank doors open in recent weeks. We’ve only had five people and volunteers who have being carrying the weight of our effort, resulting in reducing operational days to just Tuesdays and Thursdays. Several weeks ago, the North Texas Food Bank asked us if we could use help from the National Guard and we jumped at the chance.”
“A five-person team of Guardsmen will arrive Tuesday, April 7th, and begin helping us distribute food,” Moore said. “They will be with us for 30 days and we have already asked for another 15-day extension to give us a cushion to get back on our feet if the situation continues through the end of April.” Moore went on to say that because of the added help the operational days of our food bank will go to Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this coming week, April 7-9, and she hopes the week of 13-16 April will be a Monday through Thursday distribution schedule. Clients will continue the A/B cycles and hours will be between 8-11am and 1-3pm.
Moore explained, “The lines were longer than expected. I’ve been praying for a solution for weeks. The North Texas Food Bank has blessed us by waiving fees for over a month, so we have the food we need we just didn’t have the people. The real heroes in this story are my 5 staff members and volunteers who held it together until help could arrive, the absolutely wonderful people at the Dallas Food Bank, and of course our National Guard!
“Our intent is to continue operating through the COVID-19 pandemic,” Moore said. “We recognize that these times are exactly when our clients need us most. We ask for your patience as we continue servicing Hopkins County.” Families that have experienced lay-offs and need food assistance can call the Community Chest at 903-885-3452, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this coming week, April 7-9, and Monday through Thursday starting the week of 13-16 April, between 8-11am and 1-3pm.
