Dallas, TX, Nov. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB), in collaboration with the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) and Tom Thumb / Albertsons, will host a Thanksgiving food distribution for families in need on Saturday, November 23, 2024. Open to the public, this event will occur on the UNT Dallas campus at 7300 University Hills Blvd. in Southern Dallas from 9 a.m. to noon or until supplies last. Each participating family will receive a holiday turkey and approximately 60 lbs. of nutritious food.
“Tom Thumb/Albertsons and UNT Dallas are teaming up once again with the North Texas Food Bank to spread holiday cheer and support our neighbors in Southern Dallas,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of NTFB. “Our partners are deeply dedicated to combating food insecurity in North Texas. Their generosity is vital to our mission to bridge the hunger gap, especially during this critical season.”
A recent study highlights the urgency of the situation, indicating that Texas has become the leader in food insecurity, surpassing California. With a staggering food insecurity rate of 16.4%, nearly 5 million residents are affected—over a third of whom are children. In NTFB’s 13-county service area, around 778,000 individuals face food insecurity, translating to 1 in 7 people, with nearly 286,860 being children. Dallas County accounts for over 50% of NTFB’s food-insecure population and ranks sixth in the nation for total food-insecure individuals and fifth for food-insecure children.
A long-time ally of NTFB, Tom Thumb/Albertsons is committed to addressing local food insecurity through its Recipe for Change initiative. The company continuously champions innovative programs and partnerships to help break the cycle of hunger, donating millions of pounds of food annually to local food banks and pantries. Recently, Albertsons Companies announced $9 million in multiyear grants to three nonprofits dedicated to food security, with NTFB among the recipients.
“We have a long-standing commitment to hunger relief and are pleased to collaborate with the North Texas Food Bank and UNT Dallas in helping to ease the financial burden that the holidays present for many families,” said Christy Lara, Tom Thumb / Albertsons Director of Public Relations. “We are dedicated to fueling innovative programs that aim not just to feed our neighbors in need but also to help break the cycle of hunger.”
Participants in the mobile distribution do not need to register in advance but must have a vehicle for the drive-through event. Food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. While no identification is required, attendees will be asked to provide their family size and zip code.
UNT Dallas has served as a critical partner of the North Texas Food Bank since 2020, regularly hosting mobile food distributions on campus alongside NTFB. Each month, UNT Dallas hosts a free, drive-through food distribution event to provide relief to students and the Southern Dallas community members in need of support. Hundreds of students and faculty volunteer for the monthly campus food distributions. UNT Dallas also established the Trailblazers Care Pantry, an on-campus resource for students that offers non-perishable and perishable food items, hygiene products, and more to UNT Dallas students. The pantry also includes a Career Closet that provides clothing items to students to use for internships and job interviews.
“The UNT Dallas-NTFB partnership exemplifies the university’s mission to strengthen communities. Together, we are committed to providing nutritional support to our students, employees and Southern Dallas neighbors,” said Dr. Warren von Eschenbach, interim president of UNT Dallas. “We care deeply about their well-being and hope the food they receive at our monthly mobile pantries and this special Thanksgiving event helps them and their families during times of need.”
Cunningham emphasized, “The holidays can be particularly tough for those struggling to make ends meet. Food is not just nourishment; it fosters connection, celebration, and time with loved ones. When it’s absent, the impact goes beyond hunger. The North Texas Food Bank and our partners strive to ensure people have the resources to connect with their loved ones.”
In addition to the Thanksgiving distribution at UNT Dallas, NTFB purchased and distributed approximately 30,000 turkeys through its network of about 500 food pantries and organizations. Neighbors seeking food assistance can visit https://ntfb.org/our-programs/get-food-assistance/find-a-food-pantry/ to find a food pantry nearby that provides food and often other services, or they can find mobile food distributions across North Texas at https://ntfb.org/mobile-pantry/. Neighbors can also contact the North Texas Food Bank to learn about Senior Programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
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About Albertsons/ Tom Thumb
Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. As of September 7, 2024, the Company operated 2,267 retail food and drug stores with 1,726 pharmacies, 405 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 19 manufacturing facilities. The Company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under more than 20 well known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s Food Lovers Market. The Company is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2023, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the Company contributed more than $350 million in food and financial support, including more than $35 million through our Nourishing Neighbors Program to ensure those living in our communities and those impacted by disasters have enough to eat.
About UNT Dallas
The newest member of the UNT System, the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) is the city’s only public four-year university. Located in southern Dallas and serving more than 3,400 students, UNT Dallas offers students a world-class, innovative education focused on career readiness and socioeconomic mobility. UNT Dallas is passionately committed to developing, nurturing and empowering the next generation of servant leaders in North Texas. For more information about the University of North Texas at Dallas, visit untdallas.edu.
About the North Texas Food Bank
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a leading nonprofit organization that fights hunger and provides children, seniors and families in North Texas access to nutritious food. For over 40 years, we have been at the forefront of hunger relief, committed to ensuring that no one in our community lacks access to healthy food. Our extensive network of 500 food pantries and organizations, volunteers, and donors enables us to deliver more than 100 million nutritious meals annually to those in need. Beyond just addressing hunger, we focus on nourishing lives by offering nutrition education, investing in our network partners, innovating solutions to eliminate hunger and advocating for policies that tackle the root causes of food insecurity.
Our dedication to excellence is reflected in our 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, highlighting our strong governance, integrity, and financial stability. Additionally, we are honored to be ranked 89th on Forbes’ 2023 Top 100 Charities in America. As a proud member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief network, we are committed to ensuring everyone in North Texas has the nourishment needed to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. For more information, visit www.ntfb.org or connect with us on social media @NorthTexasFoodBank.
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