HOUSTON — Hundreds of bags of groceries filled with fresh food were delivered to families in need in southeast Houston Wednesday morning.
Spearheaded by Kroger, the local grocer teamed up with the City of Houston, The Houston Food Bank and METRO to make it all happen.
“We saw the need. We heard about the local grocery store. We heard this area was a food desert,” said Clara Campbell with Kroger.
The help was desperately needed after a fire destroyed the neighborhood's staple grocery store, Jim’s Super, a few weeks ago, putting an extra burden on seniors, those with disabilities and families already facing difficulty of accessing fresh food and dealing with the pandemic.
“It’s our responsibility as a local grocer here in Houston to help these people. Whether they shop at our stores or not, they’re still part of our community, and they’re still our neighbors,” Campbell said.
Dozens of volunteers packed grocery bags, filling them with meats, pastas, fresh fruits and veggies.
“We want to make sure none of our communities, especially those who are vulnerable to COVID-19 are left behind,” said Gabe Cazares, director of Mayor Sylvester Turner's Office for People With Disabilities.
From Kroger donating the truckload of food to the Houston Food Bank offering up its cold mobile pantry, and Burns Original BBQ giving away 150 pounds of smoked brisket, each of the nearly 400 families received two bags of groceries, water and boxes of toiletries, all delivered directly to them by METRO.
“Usually we’re in the business of transporting people, but today we’re in business of transporting of food to people in need, so we’re excited for the opportunity,” said Art Jackson with METRO.
It is an opportunity all made possible, thanks to a community coming together.