Author: Michael Hetrick

Virtual food drives helping make a difference in East Texas during COVID

Virtual Food Drives

Food drives have always been a part of food banking since the beginning. Everyone loves making a difference when they donate their canned, non-perishable food items to help feed families who are struggling. But with the arrival of COVID-19 last year and new protocols to prevent the spread of the virus, the East Texas Food Bank had to make the tough decision to temporarily suspend our community food drives.

Our solution was to introduce Virtual Food Drives. These online pages are a great way to still donate food to the East Texas Food Bank by making monetary gifts. These food drives have proven to be very popular, with over 546,000 meals raised so far “virtually”.

We recently spoke with one of our virtual food drive organizers, Brett Noteware, about his virtual food drive experience..

ETFB: Brett, how did you learn about our Virtual Food Drives?
Brett: The pandemic has adversely impacted many people in our area. My awareness of food scarcity was heightened by a photo I saw of cars lined up to get food at a distribution in Dallas. I then heard about a volunteer event at the East Texas Food Bank sponsored by my employer, CHRISTUS Health. I wanted to participate in that, but decided not to due to the risk of contracting COVID-19. So instead, I contacted the food bank and learned about Virtual Food Drives and thought it would be a great idea.

ETFB: Why did you decide to host a VFD?
Brett: To help those in need that have been impacted by the pandemic. This also aligns with the values of CHRISTUS Health, who thankfully I am still able to work for during the pandemic.

ETFB: Tell us about your specific drive. What made is special?
Brett: I did the virtual food drive as part of my birthday celebration. The pandemic caused me to reassess my life and develop a new appreciation and gratitude for my station in it. I realized that I would have a better birthday by focusing on those in need instead of myself. Since large gatherings were not an option, I did a “gumbo-to-go” event in which my wife and I made gumbo, homemade rolls and bread pudding. We gave it away and asked for donations for the East Texas Food Bank in return. We ended up raising over $1,000 which was amazing and surprising to say the least!

ETFB: Would you encourage someone to hose a virtual food drive for the East Texas Food Bank?
Brett: Absolutely! The process for setting it up was extremely easy. The staff at the East Texas Food Bank do all of the work, you just provide some basic information to them. It was a very rewarding experience and I am hopeful to do another one in the future.

To learn more about our Virtual Food Drives and how you, your organization or business can make a difference, click here.

New Mobile Pantry Program brings produce to underserved locations

Mobile Pantry Program

The East Texas Food Bank’s new Mobile Pantry Program targets isolated communities with little or no access to emergency food resources throughout our 26 county service area. Communities are determined by using census data that indicates where the highest level of poverty are located.

“We work with our current partners and have community partners that help us facilitate the mobile pantry,” said Tabitha Johnson ETFB Mobile Pantry Coordinator. “It’s a ‘pop-up style’ event where we come on-site then leave when distribution is over.”

The Mobile Pantry Program currently has 10 sites where fresh produce is being distributed to families. Because the program is truly “mobile”, it allows flexibility in location.

“A typical food bank partner pantry is a brick and mortar building,” Johnson said. “A benefit with this program is we can serve a low-income housing development or a larger population in a church parking lot like we do in Texarkana.”

As many as 500 families have been served during one of the recent distributions, but an average of 200-300 household is more common.

“I think the need is so great right now due to the pandemic,” Johnson said.

The community response to the mobile pantry distributions has been good, according to Johnson. She said those who are served are so grateful.

“When we opened the Marshall site recently, we were able to take water and produce because of the need with having the boil water notice there,” Johnson said. “A lady tried to climb out of the car and give me a hug because she was so excited because they hadn’t had water in days and the food was such a blessing to them.”

There are no income or geographic requirements to participate in the Mobile Pantry Program. For more information and locations on the program, click here. If you are interested in being being a partner and hosting a Mobile Pantry location, click here.

National Nutrition Month: Learn skills to create tasty meals!

March is National Nutrition Month®, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wants to help give everyone the tools to make informed food choices and develop healthful eating and physical activity habits for life. This year’s theme is to Personalize Your Plate, and this week’s message is to learn skills to create tasty meals!

Here are 5 tips to learn how to create tasty meals!

1.  Keep healthful ingredients on hand. Life happens, and sometimes, you aren’t able to run to the store but still need to whip up a quick and balanced meal. A well-stocked kitchen will ensure you’re able to do this.

  • Shelf-stable products – dried or canned beans, peas, and lentils; low sodium or no sodium added canned vegetables; whole grains, like brown rice, quinoa, and oats; canned fish and chicken; vegetable oils; dried herbs and spices
  • Frozen foods – frozen vegetables; frozen fruit; frozen skinless poultry, fish, seafood, lean pork, and lean beef.

2.  Practice proper home food safety. Practicing food safety at all times will help slow the growth of some bacteria that can make you sick.

  • Wash – before touching any foods, after touching raw poultry/meat/seafood/eggs, after throwing something away, after using chemicals, and before eating, thoroughly wash your hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Refrigerate – make sure raw and cooked meats, milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs are refrigerated within two hours of being taken out of the refrigerator.
  • Separate – keep raw poultry, seafood, meats, and eggs away from prepared and ready-to-eat foods.
  • Cook – make sure all poultry, seafood, meats, and eggs are cooked to their safe internal temperature.

3.  Share meals together as a family when possible. Research shows that families tend to eat healthier, try more foods, and consume more appropriate portion sizes when eating together.

  • Make it a habit – choose one meal that works for the entire family, and choose to consistently eat together.
  • Pay attention to each other – turn off the TV, phones, and video games. Take time to talk to and appreciate the people around you.
  • Get everyone involved – have your kids help you pick out healthy recipes, prepare meals, and cook. Use this time to teach them about healthful eating habits.

4.  Reduce food waste. Americans throw away billions of pounds of food each year, but you can easily reduce your impact.

  • Plan meals based on foods you already have – what foods do you already have that can be incorporated into meals? When buying perishable foods, buy only what you need and will be able to use before they go bad.
  • Utilize leftovers – safely store and eat leftovers for a healthy, easy to prepare meal. Get creative with your leftovers and make a new soup, salad, or sandwich with it.
  • Know the shelf life of foods – “Use by,” “Best by,” and “Best Before” dates are often found on condiments and shelf-stable foods. These foods are usually safe to consume long after that date if they have been stored per package instructions. “Sell by” dates are often found on perishable food items. These foods are usually safe to consume a few days after that date as long as they have been stored at a safe temperature.
  • Keep food safe – Store foods at safe temperatures and per package instructions. Eat leftovers within 4 days, or freeze them for up to 4 months. If a food doesn’t smell or taste right, don’t risk your health by eating it.

5.  Try new flavors and foods. Make meals more fun and nutritious by expanding your range of food choices.

  • It starts in the store – when shopping, make a point of selecting a fruit, vegetable, or whole grain that’s new to you.
  • Keep it comfortable – don’t put pressure on yourself when eating. Try new foods by yourself or with a non-judgmental friend.
  • Start small – serve one new food along with familiar favorites you know you love.
  • Keep trying – research shows that the more times we try a food, the more we may like it. Just because you don’t like it this time doesn’t mean you won’t like it ever. Try preparing it in a different way or topping it with a sauce.

Check back next week for more National Nutrition Month information! You can also follow us on Facebook and find healthy recipes here.

One Year Later: Feeding Hunger During a Pandemic

As we reach an unexpected milestone, the one-year anniversary of the World Health Organization’s official declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to take a moment to update you on our work and say thank you. Of all the disasters that the East Texas Food Bank has responded to over the last 33 years, this pandemic has brought an unprecedented challenge to our mission of fighting hunger and feeding hope.

When COVID-19 hit our East Texas communities a year ago, we were presented with the perfect storm of increased demand, disruptions to our food sourcing model and a decline in our invaluable volunteers.

Knowing that the need of our neighbors would be greater than ever, we didn’t let these obstacles deter us from our mission. We immediately responded to the pandemic by augmenting our year-round programs so they could safely operate. Additionally, we held drive-thru emergency food box distributions, piloted a senior home delivery program and provided targeted financial and logistical support to our partner agencies so they could stay open.

The East Texas Food Bank, volunteers, food pantries and feeding programs have been, and will continue to be, on the frontlines ensuring our neighbors have access to the food and services they need during this difficult time. Together, we were able to serve more than 24.4 million meals to over 75,000 families from March 2020-February 2021.

I am so grateful for our generous donors, community partners, volunteers and hard-working staff that have made this difficult work possible, but our work is far from over. Every single day, 1 in 5 East Texans, including 1 in 3 children, are facing hunger. However, thanks to generous friends like you, I know we’ll continue to fight hunger and feed hope throughout 2021.

You can help us continue to fight hunger and feed hope in East Texas by making a gift, volunteering with us or having a virtual food drive for your business or organization.

National Nutrition Month: Plan Your Meals Each Week

March is National Nutrition Month®, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics wants to help give everyone the tools to make informed food choices and develop healthful eating and physical activity habits for life. This year’s theme is to Personalize Your Plate, and this week’s message is to: plan your meals each week!

Follow these 5 tips to help you know how to make a plan to eat a balanced diet.

  1. Use a grocery list to shop for healthful foods
  • Fruits – fresh, frozen, and fruits canned in 100% fruit juice.
  • Vegetables – fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables labeled “no sodium added” or “low sodium.”
  • Grains – looks for items with “whole wheat” or “whole grain” on the label. Look for items that have “whole wheat” or “whole wheat flour” as the first ingredient in the ingredient list. Compare products, and choose the one with more fiber and less added sugars.
  • Protein – choose fresh and frozen unprocessed skinless poultry, fish, seafood, lean pork, and lean beef. Choose canned meats and fish labeled “no sodium added” or “low sodium.”
  • Dairy – choose low-fat and fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese and calcium-fortified soymilk.
  • Condiments and oils – while this isn’t part of MyPlate Guidelines, condiments and oils are used in almost every dish. Choose condiments that are low in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. Choose plant oils that are liquid at room temperature and are lower in saturated fats.
  1. Be menu-savy when dining out
  • Look for nutrition information – many restaurants, especially chain restaurants, have calorie information listed next to the food item on the menu. Information on fat, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, added sugar, and protein should be available upon request or online.
  • Look for keywords – sometimes, restaurants don’t provide nutrition information. Words like “crunchy,” “crispy,” “battered,” “breaded,” “creamy,” “cheesy,” and “alfredo” all indicate that an item might be higher in calories and saturated fat. Words like “baked,” “grilled,” “roasted,” “steamed,” “al fresco,” and “marinara” indicate that an item might be lower in calories and a more healthful option.
  • Portions matter – restaurants often serve food in much larger portions that we need. Ask for a to-go box when you get your food, and immediately put half of it away for later to help prevent you from overeating.
  1. Choose healthful recipes to make during the week
  1. Enjoy healthful eating at school and at work
  • Plan the night before – pack a balanced lunch and snacks to help you avoid unplanned eating out for lunch and snacking on candy when you get hungry in the afternoon.
  • Be prepared – keep single-serve packages of whole-grain crackers, fruit, peanut butter, soup, or tuna at your desk for a quick lunch.
  • Avoid mindless eating – keep snacks off your desk and hidden away to help prevent you from eating when you aren’t hungry.
  1. Plan healthful eating while traveling
  • Think ahead – research restaurants along the way and at your destination so you can easily choose places with healthful choices.
  • Pack healthy choices – bring fruits, vegetables, nut butter, pre-portioned trail mix, whole grain snack bars, and your other favorite, healthy snacks so you don’t feel the need to get chips and a candy bar when you stop for gas.
  • Balance your meals – if you plan to indulge for dinner, have a lighter breakfast and lunch.

Check back next week for more National Nutrition Month information! You can also follow us on Facebook and find healthy recipes here.