Generous Gifts to the Gift of Produce

                               

Houston Food Bank

535 Portwall Street                                                                                       December 16, 2011

Houston, TX  77029

713-223-3700

www.houstonfoodbank.org                                                                                                                                           

2.5 MILLION POUNDS of Produce Donated to

Houston Food Bank at 25^th Annual Gift of Produce

 

HOUSTON … This holiday season, more people are in need of food assistance than ever before.  Recent surveys show that demand for food at hunger relief agencies in southeast Texas has increased by as much as 50% or more over the past year.  In this festive time filled with celebrations, gifts and food, the season is less than joyful for those in need.

However, an incredible gift received today by the Houston Food Bank will help them fill pantries with nutritious foods to warm the hearts of neighbors in need. At a special ceremony at the new Houston Food Bank facility – the largest size Feeding America food bank in the nation – the Houston Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association (HFFVA) presented a generous “Gift of Produce” totaling an amazing 2.5 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables for immediate distribution to the food bank’s 500 partner agencies serving 18 southeast Texas counties.

This amount is equivalent to 5.5 servings of fresh produce for each food insecure individual in metro Houston.

In addition to the donation of produce, the Houston Food Bank also received generous cash donations – $19,000 from Food Town and $15,000 from Target – to be used for the purchase of additional produce to help feed the hungry.

While these are very large amounts of money in their own right, the Houston Food Bank can really put this money to work – they can provide 3 full meals, including fresh fruits and vegetables, to someone in need with each $1 they receive! 

Each year for the last 24 years, the Food Bank has received a generous Gift of Produce from HFFVA, which has grown from a yield of 100,000 pounds of produce in the first year to more than one million pounds each year for the past 10 years.  In total, this event has brought in more than 22.85 million pounds of produce!

This gift is made possible through a partnership between the HFFVA and its generous suppliers and shippers across the country, and underscores the HFFVA’s strong, year-round commitment to the food bank and its fight against hunger and for improved nutrition.

“The Houston Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association was established more than 70 years ago with a mission to promote the consumption of fresh produce, and that passion continues today,” says HFFVA President David Anderson. “The Gift of Produce to the Houston Food Bank and the clients that they serve has become a holiday tradition for our association, and we are proud that we achieved our goal of 2.5 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to commemorate the 25^th annual event.”

As part of the quarter-century festivities, HFFVA unveiled their new Gift of Produce Retail Program, which allows all Houstonians to help put nutritious fruits and vegetables on the plates of the hungry.  The program was initiated at Houston-area Kroger stores.

“With the Gift of Produce Retail Program, all Houstonians can help provide nutritious produce to the hungry by purchasing vendor-supported products during Gift of Produce retail events held throughout the year, and by making cash donations at www.giftoproduce.org,” says Anderson.  “Every donation via the Gift of Produce website goes directly to the purchase of fresh produce by the Houston Food Bank.” The program’s tagline, ‘Every bite helps,’ is a reminder that the more fresh produce we eat, the more we can help others and ourselves.”

According to USDA figures, Texas has the second highest rate of food insecurity (approximately 17.4%) in the nation.  Food insecurity means that people can’t be certain that they’ll have access to enough food to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle – there’s food today, but will there be food tomorrow?  Sadly, 47% of the people that the Houston Food Bank helps to feed each week are children.

 “While the holidays are already a time of high demand because kids are out of school and not receiving meal assistance, the struggling economy has added enormous demand for additional food assistance in a relatively short period of time,” says Brian Greene, president/CEO of Houston Food Bank.  “Many people who were well-employed just a year ago have lost their jobs and are having a hard time making ends meet, and are turning to our partner agencies for help.  We are working hard to fill the demand, and it is donations such as the Gift of Produce that will fill many tables this holiday season.

 “Despite the grim statistics, it is comforting to know that we can rely on companies and individuals in the community to help us fill the need, and the Houston Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association is one of our key partners,” says Greene.  “Houston Food Bank has a national reputation among its peers in hunger relief for putting strong emphasis on the distribution of healthy foods, particularly produce, and this is due in large part to the support we receive from the Houston Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association.”

In addition to the generous Gift of Produce each holiday season, the Food Bank receives an average of 100,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables each week from the Association’s members.  This generosity has helped to make the Houston Food Bank a national leader in the distribution of produce to those in need.

Founded in 1937, the Houston Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association is a nationally recognized professional organization with a membership of 100 firms and individuals in the produce industry, including retailers, wholesalers, growers and shippers.  Throughout the year, the Houston Food Bank receives an average of 100,000 pounds of produce per week from HFFVA’s generous members, making it a national leader in produce distribution among food banks.

For more information on the Houston Food Bank, visit www.houstonfoodbank.org.

 

wwwwwwwwwwww

 

About the Houston Food Bank

Now operating from a new, 308,000 square-foot facility, the Houston Food Bank is the nation’s largest size Feeding America food bank and source of food for hunger relief charities in 18 southeast Texas counties. They have been named one of 10 Top-Notch Charities across the nation by Charity Navigator. A network of nearly 500 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and other agencies, feeding a total of 137,000 people each week, provides more than 70 million pounds of food and prepared meals annually. Fresh produce, meat and nonperishables are distributed from the new warehouse at 535 Portwall, and hot meals are prepared and distributed from Keegan Center, a 15,000 square-foot industrial kitchen. Additional community services range from nutrition education to assistance with food stamp applications and hands-on job training. Red Barrels offer a convenient way for grocery shoppers to donate nonperishables for their neighbors in need. The Houston Food Bank, founded in 1982, is a certified member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network. The organization plans to grow to an annual distribution of 120 million pounds of food by 2018. Visit HoustonFoodBank.org for more information. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/HoustonFoodBank or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/HoustonFoodBank.

 

Contact: Paula Murphy, 713/520-7111                          paula@pattersonandmurphy.com