Meet Regina!

By on December 13, 2022   /   All   /   Leave a comment

Meet Regina!

At the beginning of November, we welcomed a new member to the Target Hunger team – Regina! She joined as our new Volunteer Manager and has already kicked it into gear with our volunteers. We are so excited to have her on the team and can’t wait for you to meet her. We asked her a few questions to help you get to know her a bit, but we would love for you to meet her in-person at an upcoming volunteer opportunity! You can find opportunities and sign up at https://www.targethunger.org/volunteer. In the meantime, here are 13 questions with Regina:

 

Q: Where do you most want to visit in the world? 

A: Venice, before it sinks

Q: What is one thing you could not go a day without? 

A: Right now, TikTok. I have to at least watch some before bed. 

Q: If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have? 

A: Talk to animals – Disney princess powers

Q: If you could share a meal with any 4 individuals, living or dead, who would they be? 

A: Beyonce, Oprah, Martha Stewart and Taylor Swift

Q: What was the last book you read? 

A: The Shining

Q: Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life? 

A: Salma Hayek LOL 

Q: What’s your favorite family recipe? 

A: Camarones al mojo de ajo aka spicy garlic shrimp

Q: What’s your favorite movie? 

A: Night at the Roxbury

Q: What’s your favorite way to spend a day off? 

A: Going to eat with friends

Q: What’s your favorite ice cream topping? 

A: Caramel but I’m more of a pie girl – key lime is my favorite.

Q: Which famous person in history would you want to spend the day with? 

A: Andy Warhol

Q: What’s on your bucket list? 

A: Volunteer in the Galapagos   

Q: If you could win an Olympic medal for any sport, real or fake, what would it be? 

A: Gymnastics because they embody grace and strength

 

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Feeding our Community for Thanksgiving

By on December 6, 2022   /   All   /   Leave a comment

Feeding our Community for Thanksgiving

Phillips66 Volunteers packing Thanksgiving boxes

Preparing to Serve

As we do every year, Target Hunger staff and volunteers spent much of October and the beginning of November preparing for a big Thanksgiving distribution. Volunteers joined us in the warehouse to pack boxes full of Thanksgiving food, including shelf-stable milk, boxed macaroni, and even a special dessert surprise! All together, we prepared boxes for 1,300 families for the holiday. At our distributions, these kindly-packed boxes were given to clients alongside boxes of fresh produce and a turkey!

Joshua and family

The first clients to receive their Thanksgiving goodies were homebound seniors, whose boxes were delivered straight to their doorstep through our DoorDash partnership. We are immensely grateful for this partnership that allows us to serve seniors and families unable to come to our pantry for food. Almost 300 families received Thanksgiving food this way. Hundreds of other families received their Thanksgiving distributions a one of our Community Partner Sites.

Feeding our Community for the Thanksgiving Holiday

Friday, November 18th, was our first of three distributions. Wonderful team members from Kroger joined us in the 40-degree chill of the morning to load food into car trunks. The cold-weather couldn’t keep their joy at bay – they happily served over 100 families, including Joshua’s family. Joshua, his wife, and two sons expressed their gratitude for the holiday food. They were excitedly looking forward to the special meal, though older son, Joshua Jr., said he was still hoping to enjoy a PB&J instead of turkey as his main dish.

Jessica and her son

Our second distribution happened the following Monday, where we were joined by members of The Church Without Walls. This awesome group walked side by side with our clients to collect food and carry it to clients’ cars. The day was cold and rainy, but the volunteers served with a smile on their face and a warm greeting for each new person they helped. Over 150 families gratefully received their turkeys, including Jessica and her son, who promised us he would help his mom cook the turkey!

Edna

Tuesday was our last distribution and biggest day. Volunteers from Port Houston and Jack & Jill’s Houston Chapter arrived ready to go as clients lined up for blocks to receive their food. We served over 300 families on Tuesday, like Edna and her granddaughters. Edna, whose income is limited to her social security payments, said she was grateful for Target Hunger and the donors and volunteers that make the holidays special for families like hers.

Many clients expressed their thanks for the food as they drove through the line. More than food, they were grateful for a holiday where they didn’t have to worry, and could focus on being with those that matter most. We want to THANK YOU, for making these special days happen for our community and for making a difference in the lives of Joshua, Jessica, Edna, and the many other Houston families we serve. We truly could not do the work without you!

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Hunger Action Month 2022

By on September 21, 2022   /   All   /   Leave a comment

Hunger Action Month 2022

Delivering food to pantry clients with DoorDash

Hunger Action Month is a campaign to spread awareness about food insecurity and hunger in the United States. With more than 34 million people  being food insecure, it’s an ongoing and important issue for the country. As we’re about halfway through Hunger Action Month, we thought it would be a good time to write about the state of hunger in Texas and in our service areas. According to Feeding America, over 3.7 million people are facing hunger in Texas, which amounts to about 1 in 8 people in our home state. How many people are in your office? In your child’s classroom? Given that 1 in 8 people face hunger in Texas, how many people might be in your office? How many people at the grocery store? How many of your neighbors? You might know someone who is hungry!

We also know that children are not strangers to the issue of hunger: 1 in 5 children face hunger in Texas, and 53.4% of households receiving SNAP have children. Hunger in children is a particularly detrimental issue. Children who are hungry face learning difficulties, educational setbacks, nutrient deficiencies, and other health issues. 

A client waits in line to receive food through one of our community partners.

Imagine you are back in elementary school, enjoying the fun and adventure that 4th grade brings. Now imagine going to class without breakfast, sitting through the first several hours of class before you can enjoy the lunch provided by school. Would you be able to focus on your schoolwork? Many students facing hunger struggle with focus.

Target Hunger served 16,654 unduplicated individuals in 2021 and distributed 1.35 million meals. Additionally, about 34% of our clients were under the age of 18. As we make our way through the end of Hunger Action Month, these numbers loom large in our heads. Food continues to be a very real need in our community year-round. As long as there is a need, we will be here to serve. We hope you will join us in the fight against hunger by making a donation or signing up to volunteer. You can also spread awareness by sharing this post with your friends and colleagues and following us on social media.

Resources:

https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america

https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/texas#:~:text=In%20Texas%2C%203%2C720%2C710%20people%20are,of%20them%201%2C395%2C890%20are%20children.&text=face%20hunger.,to%20meet%20their%20food%20needs.

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