Agricultural News
U.S. Farm Nonprofit Expands Food Bank Program into East Texas
Fri, 15 Jul 2022 08:57:04 CDT
The national nonprofit Family Agriculture Resource Management Services (F.A.R.M.S.), has developed a new partnership with the East Texas Food Bank (ETFB). F.A.R.M.S. is a charitable organization that offers legal and technical services to aging farmers while reducing hunger in the farmers community through the 30000Acres™ food bank program. ETFB is the largest hunger-relief nonprofit in East Texas, covering 26 counties. ETFB provides over 25 million meals each year to more than 200 partner agencies and feeding programs.
"East Texas Food Bank is an ideal partner for F.A.R.M.S., since many of the counties that receive services from their food bank are rural," said Jillian Hishaw, founding director of F.A.R.M.S. "This aligns with our mission as 90 percent of F.A.R.M.S. resources are exclusively devoted to rural farming communities."
The F.A.R.M.S. to Food Bank program is an integral part of the organization and is designed to distribute fresh produce in high poverty communities. F.A.R.M.S. purchases fresh produce from farm clients from across the country which are then donated to food banks, pantries, homeless, childcare and eldercare centers.
"We are very excited about our new relationship with F.A.R.M.S.," said Dennis Cullinane, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. "Our strategic goal is to increase distribution to 32 million meals by 2025. Providing healthy food like fresh produce to help our neighbors struggling with hunger is so important to our mission to fight hunger and feed hope in East Texas."
1 in 5 East Texans, including 1 in 4 children, do not have access to the nutritious food necessary for a healthy life. ETFB's work of food relief makes a significant impact on rural communities across East Texas: In 2021, ETFB distributed 28.5 million pounds of food, including 10.7 million pounds of produce.
"F.A.R.M.S. is elated to know our grant dollars are making an impact on reducing rural child and senior hunger," said Hishaw. "We are happy to provide our food bank services on a larger scale in Texas. We have worked within the state in the past but our new partnership with ETFB allows us to help more rural communities and farmers! In the first few months of working together, F.A.R.M.S has donated 80,000 pounds of cabbage and potatoes to rural residents of East Texas."
Since its inception in 2013, F.A.R.M.S., has purchased and donated nearly two million pounds of produce, provided nearly $500,000 in emergency aid to farmers and has saved rural farms from foreclosure. Recently, the multi-award-winning organization was awarded grant funding from the MacArthur Foundation and the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Foundation.
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