Fort Worth area food pantries see sharp increase in demand. Here’s how to help
As economic shock of the novel coronavirus outbreak sets in, the need for food assistance in Dallas-Fort Worth has rapidly grown, according to nonprofits on the front line of helping. Those groups are urging would-be volunteers to stay home and send money instead.
The Tarrant Area Food Bank, which distributes to 330 pantries in 13 counties in North Texas, has seen a sharp increase in demand for food, CEO Julie Butner said. In the first week of the North Texas outbreak, when local governments began to close businesses, the food bank saw a 35% increase in demand from the pantries it supplies. When furloughs and layoffs set in the next week, demand shot up 80%, she said. Last week, food pantries saw a 60% to 65% increase in need.
“There are people who need us now who have never needed help before,” Butner said.
In the HEB area, the demand is expected to double, said Treasure Ford, community relations director at Mission Central in Hurst. The nonprofit’s pantry usually feeds 400 families a month, but Ford said based on numbers available Friday, the pantry was on track to serve close to 800.
“We always knew how important our food pantry is but this really drove it home,” Ford said.
Both the Tarrant Area Food Bank and the Salvation Army of North Texas say those interested in helping should shy away from food donations and instead make monetary contributions.
Not only do both agencies expect multi-million dollar increases to their expenses, they can also purchase grocery items in bulk at significantly reduced prices. Limiting personal donations also helps decrease the risk of spreading the virus.
Feeding America, the nationwide network of food banks, projects a $1.4 billion deficit related to the response to the coronavirus. Locally, Butner expects to be behind by “a couple million dollars.”
Typically the food bank relies on roughly 200 volunteers a day, but having that many people in the warehouse violates social distancing mandates, she said. Instead, the food bank is spending roughly $20,000 a week on part-time employees hired from the pool of laid off service industry workers.
The Salvation Army expects a $6 million budget gap in North Texas, said Maj. Jon Rich. The foundation canceled several fundraisers through April and May, effectively nixing roughly $2 million in expected revenue. Other revenue generators, like the thrift store, which helps fund meals for the Salvation Army’s housing program, have also been cut.
“Many of our donors are worried about their own financial situations, and we understand that,” said Rich. “But there are many people who can still afford to donate. What we really need is for them to step up and do that.”
The Salvation Army provides pick-up grocery service at 13 of its 14 community centers in North Texas as well as feeding about 1,300 people in the housing program, Rich said.
The Tarrant Area Food Bank has 170 grocery store and manufacturing partners that provide food donations or discounted orders, Butner said. On Friday American Airlines donated food from Admiral’s Clubs and in-flight meals. Increased financial contributions will help the food bank purchase more food, she said.
At Mission Central, Ford said the pantry is still taking personal food donations. Many grocery stories that would typically boost the pantry’s inventory have less to give after a rush on grocery stores in March. The pantry has a need for canned meat, toothpaste and soap, she said.
Those who want to donate can simply leave a box outside the pantry at 740 E Pipeline Road between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Volunteers have wipes to disinfect the boxes before giving them out, she said.
The outbreak has forced the Tarrant Area Food Bank to rethink its usual distribution model, Butner said.
As many as 20 Fort Worth-area pantries have shut down because of a lack of volunteers. Even if pantries remain open, Butner anticipates the need for food will rapidly outpace the capacity of the bank’s warehouse. The food bank may look at opening a satellite center, but that endeavor would cost a significant amount of time and resources, she said. Mobile food pantries and more drive-through pantries are another option.
Later this week Butner anticipates sending a letter to local and state leaders regarding the need for more widespread distribution and potentially asking for Texas National Guard assistance.
Butner said conversations about expanding the food bank’s distribution arm have been ongoing for a while given Fort Worth’s booming population.
Donations to both the food bank and the Salvation Army can be made through their websites. The United Way of Tarrant County, which supports area nonprofits including food pantries, has established an emergency relief fund related to coronavirus.
The Goodfellow Fund, the Star-Telegram’s charity that provides clothes and shoes for children at Christmas, is seeking donations that will go to the Fort Worth school district’s Child Nutrition Program, which is providing meals to children while school is closed. Donations can be made at goodfellowfundfw.com or by sending them to Goodfellows, Box 1870, Fort Worth, TX 76101.
“When this is all over, a lot of people are simply not going to recover,” Rich said. “The safety net needs to be much wider and much stronger.”
