HOUSTON - Hands are busy at the Houston Food Bank. Volunteers pack Fresh apples and oranges throughout the day and make hot meals for thousands in need.
“We’re preparing around 10,000 meals a day here right now. We send to sites around the Houston area,” said Stephanie Berno, the Director of Outreach Service at the Houston Food Bank.
In the summer, the Texas Department of Agriculture helps provide the food to the Bank. The food bank also purchases food and relies on donations.
The Houston Food Bank says it’s serving far many more meals this year, so far than even at its peak last year. It expects to serve 12,000 meals a day come July.
Although there’s no official data on why the need is greater, Hurricane Harvey certainly factors in.
“We feel like there’s just an increased need, possibly because of Harvey, we don’t know exactly,” Berno said.
The Family Hope Center in Aldine is among the 250 sites that receive daily meals from the food bank.
“We have breakfast, lunch, and that’s it. And we have a snack,” said 10 year-old Joel Lopez.
The Center is part of a non-profit organization that serves children in low-income households.
“To be able to serve in this community, post-Harvey, to provide food and other support, has been awesome, said Shorice Reed, Director of the Buckner Family Hope Center in Aldine.
Reed said the after-care school program often provides the only hot meal a child will get. During the summer, kids get to eat complete, quality meals like the one 10-year-old Diana Preston enjoys.
“It’s like pasta with children and vegetables in it, with watermelon and an apple. It’s actually really good,” Preston said.
With more meals now being served, the Food Bank needs more volunteers such as Tom Moorman of Sugarland.
“We wanted to give back today, so we decided we’re going to close our office,” Moorman said.
Any program in the area that needs meals for kids or adults this summer is encouraged to contact the Houston Food Bank. The food bank also wants families to know all of the kids who receive free or reduced lunch at school can still get those meals this summer. They’ll be provided at City of Houston libraries and Harris County libraries.