North Texas Food Bank

North Texas Food Bank

Founder(s)	Liz Minyard, Kathryn Hall, Jo Curtis and Lorraine Griffin Kircher.
Type	Hunger Relief
Founded	1982
Location	4500 South Cockrell Hill Road Dallas, TX 75236
Key people	President and CEO - Jan Pruitt , Chief Philanthropy Officer - Colleen Townsley Brinkmann, Chief Operations Officer - Paul Wunderlich , Chief Financial Officer - Bennett Cepak
Website	http://www.ntfb.org/index.cfm
Member of Feeding America

The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a social benefit organization located in Dallas Texas. The organization distributes donated, purchased and prepared foods through a network of nearly 1,000 feeding programs in 13 North Texas counties. The NTFB supports the nutritional needs of children, families and seniors through education, advocacy and strategic partnerships.

History

The North Texas Food Bank was established in 1982 by Liz Minyard, Kathryn Hall, Jo Curtis and Lorraine Griffin Kircher. Their goal was to address the critical issue of hunger in North Texas by securing donations of surplus unmarketable, but wholesome, foods and grocery products for distribution through a network of charitable organizations in 13 North Texas counties: Dallas, Denton, Collin, Fannin, Rockwall, Hunt, Grayson, Kaufman, Ellis, Navarro, Lamar, Delta and Hopkins. In the first year of operation, the Food Bank distributed 400,000 pounds of food.^[1]

13 counties serviced by the North Texas Food Bank.

Members of the North Texas Food Bank's organizing committee became advocates with members of the Texas Legislature for the passage of the Good Faith Donor Act, which protects donors from liability of donated product. With the passage of this act in 1983, many potential donors began actively donating.^[2]

The North Texas Food Bank is a certified member of Feeding America's Food Bank Network. Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger relief organization, solicits food and grocery products from national suppliers for distribution through more than 200 certified Food Banks nationally. Feeding America also provides Food Banks with operational standards, training, support and inspection, and educates the public and government officials about the nature and solutions to the problem of hunger in the U.S. Based on distribution North Texas Food Bank is ranked 8th nationally among Feeding America food banks].^[3]

In 2010, NTFB provided access to over 58 million pounds of food.^[4]

Operations

The North Texas Food Bank allocates all donations by using only 6% of all resources for operation costs which allows 94 cents of every dollar donated to reach the hungry. The organization focuses on providing more nutritious food to the community it serves, becoming a thought leader on the subject of hunger in North Texas and expanding its reach in North Texas. Both donated and purchased food our housed in the NTFB’s 72,000-square-foot (6,700 m²) facility.

North Texas Food Bank trucks pickup food donations from various locations. After being received and sorted by food bank volunteers and employees the food is then distributed to agencies throughout North Texas.

NTFB truck in parking lot.

The North Texas Food Bank gathers donations of both perishable and nonperishable food as well as nonfood items. These items are then distributed to North Texas area food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and other programs that serve people in need.

Board of Directors

Executive Committee Charlie Morrison, Pizza Inn, Inc. (Chairman) Stephen Chase, KPMG, LLP (Chair Elect) Tom Black, Black, Mann and Graham, LLP Thomas Huffhines, Community Volunteer Chris Sliva, Dean Foods Jon A. Wolkenstein, Grant Thornton, LLP Julie Yarbrough, Yarbrough Investments

Members at Large Barry Brundage, Comerica Eric Bushnell, Walmart W. Lee Coleman Jr., CB Richard Ellis John A. Cuellar, Las Tres C’s, Inc., of Dallas Christina Durovich, Community Volunteer Mitch Fadel, Rent-a-Center Jess Hay, Texas Foundation of Higher Education Gary Huddleston, Kroger Food Stores Karen Lukin, Whole Foods Market Rev. Robert E. Price Sr., New Mount Zion Church Frank Roby, Concero Global Greg Schaffner, US Food Service Steve Schenkel, Schepps Dairy Katherine Stoneham, Junior League of Dallas Debra Tippett, Cardinal Company Cynthia Wenban, Lockheed Martin Connie Yates, Tom Thumb Food and Pharmacy Carole S. Young, Carole S. Young & Associates

General Counsel James R. Nelson, DLA Piper US LLP Jonathan A. Kohl, DLA Piper US LLP Life Board Members John Beckert Jerry Ellis, Community Volunteer Louise Gartner, Community Volunteer Bette Perot, Perot Foundation Teresa Phillips, TPHD, LLC Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles Concepts

Founders Ambassador Kathryn Hall, Hall Wines Liz Minyard, Community Volunteer

Close the Gap

Ending in June 2011, Close the Gap was the organization’s three-year strategic plan to narrow the food gap by providing access to 50 million meals annually.^[5] By the end of their 2011 fiscal year (July 2010-June 2011), the organization provided access to 50.5 million meals; exceeding their goal.

Other programs and services

Agency University Agency University is a program for Member Agencies of the NTFB. The program provides professional training for increasing agency capacity, enhancing food programs and leveraging their resources. In NTFB's 2010 fiscal year, Agencies could choose from 8 different courses consisting of 24 classes taught by professionals in the fields of health and nutrition, fund development, PR/marketing, grant writing and finance. Participants can receive continuing education college credits from El Centro Community College in Dallas, Texas.

Charitable Produce Center Founded in 1994, the Charitable Produce Center was designed to transform the large amount of waste in the fresh produce market into a source of nourishment for hungry North Texans. The Food Bank extended this concept in 1999 with a grant from Kraft Foods, Inc., by developing the Rural Produce Initiative to distribute fresh produce to Member Agencies outside of Dallas County each week. In fiscal year 2008, the program distributed more than 6.4 million pounds of produce throughout all 13 counties in the North Texas Food Bank's service area.

Commodities Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) In 2000, the North Texas Food Bank became the first Commodities Supplemental Food Program (also known locally as People and Nutrition, or PAN) distributor in Texas. The program provides surplus USDA commodities for low income Dallas County residents who meet certain requirements, such as being 60 years old or older, children under six not receiving aid from WIC (Women, Infants and Children Program), or pregnant or postpartum women not receiving assistance from WIC. Each month, nearly 9,000 participants receive an estimated 32 pounds of surplus USDA commodities at 98 PAN distribution sites in Dallas County. PAN is a partnership of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Catholic Charities of Dallas and the North Texas Food Bank.^[6]

Community Kitchen The Community Kitchen began as a North Texas Food Bank pilot program in early 2000. The mission of the Kitchen is to offer NTFB Member Agencies nutritious, fully prepared frozen meals to heat and serve to the hungry while providing culinary job skills training to disadvantaged individuals with an interest in a food service career. Construction of a new 3,000-square-foot (280 m²) kitchen at the food bank was completed in February 2002.^[7]

Chef James Williams cooking at the North Texas Food Bank's Community Kitchen

Food for Families Food for Families is a cooperative effort between the North Texas Food Bank and more than 27 Member Agencies. Pre-qualified clients of participating Agencies are issued a voucher for specific food distribution. Clients meet Agency volunteers at a specific parking lot at a predetermined time. A drive-through line is organized and Agency volunteers give food directly to clients from NTFB trucks. In fiscal year 2010, more than 800,000 pounds of food were distributed to more than 14,000 families and 59,000 individuals

Food 4 Kids The Food 4 Kids program provides backpacks full of nonperishable food to chronically hungry children on Friday afternoons to last throughout the weekend. Each backpack contains four meals. The program currently serves over 325 schools in 32 schools districts across Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Hunt, Rockwall, and Kaufman counties.

Food Stamp Outreach NTFB Coordinators partner with local agencies and food pantries to assist their clients with filing our applications for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP was previously called the Food Stamps.

Hunger Link Prepared Foods The Dallas Hunger Link collects surplus prepared perishable food from 25 donor hotels, restaurants, cafeterias and other food service kitchens. That food is then frozen in disposable aluminum steam table pans provided by the Food Bank. Drivers then pick up the food in refrigerated Hunger Link trucks and distribute it to on-site meal programs throughout Dallas. In fiscal year 2010, the Hunger Link program collected more than one million pounds of food.

Kids Café The Kids Cafe program provides nutritious and free hot meals to children, who may not have access to food once they leave school, through a variety of after-school programs. The Kids Cafe program began at the North Texas Food Bank in 1998 and currently serves meals in over 30 locations in Dallas, Collin, and Grayson counties.

Mobile Pantry The Mobile Pantry program provides emergency food boxes that provide enough food for two people to last four days. The program is designed to serve those that are unable to get to a food pantry to receive food.

Nutrition Education/Cooking Matters In 1996 the North Texas Food Bank has partnered with Share Our Strength,^[8] a national anti-hunger, anti-poverty organization, to offer Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters. Cooking Matters promotes short and long-term solutions to hunger by providing individuals, parents, and children with the skills they need to make healthy, economical food choices. Culinary professionals, nutritionists and food enthusiasts volunteer their time to teach low-income participants the basics of healthy cooking, nutrition, food budgeting, and food safety.

Summer Food Service Program The Summer Feeding program provides nutritious meals to children in low-income communities during the summer months.

Texas Second Chance In 1997 the North Texas Food Bank formed a collaborative partnership with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Texas Second Chance allows selected prison confines to volunteer at the Food Bank up to four days a week. As volunteer laborers, they receive job skills training in warehousing and food service.^[9]

Mass Care Task Force

Hurricane Katrina brought over 30,000 evacuees to the North Texas area. Non-profit organizations in the North Texas area found that they were unable to meet the needs of those who migrated into the area. So in 2006, chief executive officers from the American Red Cross, the North Texas Food Bank, The Salvation Army and the Volunteer Center of North Texas formed the Mass Care Task Force; to prepare for disaster relief in the area. The task force is currently working on funding for the relief plan.^[10]

References

1. ^ https://www.ntfb.org/au_history.cfm
2. ^ http://www.robertslawfirm.com/recalls-consumer-tips/texas-good-faith-donor-act
3. ^ http://www.ntxe-news.com/artman/publish/article_69573.shtml
4. ^ https://www.ntfb.org/pdf/fact_sheets/NTFB-Fact-Sheet-FY11.pdf
5. ^ https://www.ntfb.org/pdf/fact_sheets/NTFB-Boilerplate-Fact-Sheet-FY11.pdf
6. ^ http://www.dallascityhall.com/ehs/wdmc/other_programs.html
7. ^ http://www.ntfb.org/au_programs-community-kitchen.cfm
8. ^ http://cookingmatters.org/where-we-work/where-we-are/
9. ^ http://www.ntfb.org/au_programs-texas-second-chance.cfm
10. ^ http://dfwdisasterinfo.blogspot.com/2009/04/mass-care-task-force-created-in-north.html

External links

• North Texas Food Bank
• Facebook Page
• Twitter Page