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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Food from the Bar Campaign Raises 445,460 Meals for Children Facing Hunger
North Texas legal community partners with North Texas Food Bank to fight summer hunger Food from the Bar Logo North Texas Food Bank's Food from the Bar Campaign Dallas, TX, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) and members of the North Texas legal community joined forces this spring for the annual Food from the Bar campaign, raising the equivalent of 445,460 meals to help children and families facing hunger during the summer months. Through donations, food drives and volunteer service, law firms and legal departments came together to support families as students lose access to free and reduced-price school meals. Since the campaign began in 2019, Food from the Bar has helped provide more than 2.4 million meals. 'The legal community is making a life-changing difference for families across North Texas,' said Johnny Jenkins, strategic initiatives manager for the North Texas Food Bank. 'Because of the meals they enabled, children will be able to enjoy their summer and return to school nourished and ready to learn.' This year's campaign raised $145,718, collected 940 pounds of food and contributed 212 hours of volunteer service. The effort wrapped with a recognition event on May 28, honoring top-performing firms: Partner 4 Hope Award (Top Team Per Capita) - Simon Greenstone Panatier Power of Attorney Award (Top Team Overall) - Vinson & Elkins New Counsel Award - Walters Balido & Crain #RaiseTheBar Award (Most Active Social Media Campaign) - Waters Kraus Paul Can-Do Award (Most Food Collected) - Bank of America Legal Department Collective Force Award (Most Volunteers) - Kershaw Anderson King Broadest Appeal Award (Most Diverse Involvement) - Gibson Dunn & Crutcher 'We're incredibly thankful to the legal community for stepping up to help feed children during the summer,' said Trisha Cunningham, president and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. 'Their generosity and commitment have made a real difference, especially at a time when many kids lose access to regular meals. 'Texas leads the nation in food insecurity for the second year in a row. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area alone, 1.3 million people face hunger, including 1 in 5 children in our service area. Summer should be a time for play, not hunger. Because of your support, we can provide kids with the nutritious meals they need to thrive,' continued Cunningham. The law firms and legal organizations that provided children with access to nutritious food through the Food from the Bar campaign included: Akin Gump Bank of America Legal Department Byrd Adatto Bar Committee for Community Involvement Carter Arnett Bennett & Perez Dallas Bar Association Dallas Trial Lawyers Association Dean, Omar, Branham & Shirley, LLP Fulton Jeang Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Kershaw Anderson King PepsiCo, Inc. Quilling Selander Lownds Winslett & Moser Sheppard Mullin & Dedman School of Law Simon Greenstone Panatier, PC Vinson & Elkins Walters, Balido & Crain Attorneys at Law Waters, Kraus, & Paul The campaign was originally launched as Partners 4 Hope and rebranded as Food from the Bar in 2024 to reflect expanded support from legal associations, including the Dallas Bar Association and Dallas Trial Lawyers Association. For more information, visit About 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 118 million physical 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. 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 or connect with us on social media @NorthTexasFoodBank. Attachments Food from the Bar Logo North Texas Food Bank's Food from the Bar Campaign CONTACT: Jeff Smith North Texas Food Bank 469-891-7022 in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Food bank launches 5-year plan to combat food insecurity in North Texas
The Brief The North Texas Food Bank has launched a five-year "Fulfilling Futures" initiative. The plan aims to move beyond food distribution to address the root causes of hunger through programs like Food RX and support services. Nearly 774,000 people in North Texas, including one in five children, are food insecure, a situation worsened by rising rent and grocery costs. DALLAS - The North Texas Food Bank has unveiled a plan to combat hunger at its roots and build self-sufficient communities in North Texas. What we know On Friday, the NTFB launched a new, five-year initiative called Fulfilling Futures, designed to go beyond feeding to fueling long-term wellbeing across the region. "This includes optimizing our supply chain, really leaning into some warehouse management systems we have, really track that food and get it out efficiently to our community," said Trisha Cunningham, the nonprofit's president and CEO. The plan also includes growing NTFB's Food RX program, partnering with at least 50 medical clinics in the next five years, and increasing investments in those partners who are offering wrap-around services such as career training, financial coaching, and health care. What you can do "We cannot do this work alone, especially as we look towards the future," Cunningham said. "So we want the community to continue to join us to donate, volunteer, and advocate for those strong anti-hunger policies." By the numbers Over the past five years, the NTFB has doubled its meal distribution. "People are really surprised by that because all of the economic growth in our community. But we still have the eighth highest number of people who are food insecure," Cunningham said. Approximately 774,000 people in North Texas, including one in five children, experience food insecurity. "We know that inflation has led food insecurity at the zip code level and it's very difficult for some of these people who are food insecure to make these tough choices," she said. Cunningham pointed to a Zillow study that found rent in Dallas has gone up by 30% over the past five years. Groceries also went up by 22% during that time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Do I pay for my rent, my groceries, my medicine? Because they have these fixed costs that they have to meet. But then what gives? So, that's why we're seeing more people coming to us for access to that," she said. The Source The North Texas Food Bank held a news conference on Friday to announce details in this story.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
North Texas Food Bank Launches Plan to Combat Hunger at its Roots and Build Self-Sufficient Communities
Fulfilling Futures strategic plan aims to close the hunger gap across all North Texas Communities North Texas Food Bank Fulfilling Futures Dallas, TX, May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) today announced the launch of its bold new strategic plan, Fulfilling Futures, a visionary five-year initiative designed to go beyond feeding to fueling long-term well-being across the region. The plan builds on the momentum of the recently concluded Nourish North Texas campaign and strategic plan, which exceeded its ambitious $500 million goal, demonstrating the region's deep commitment to fighting hunger. 'Our mission is rooted in the same belief that has guided us for more than 40 years: No one deserves to be hungry,' said Trisha Cunningham, president and CEO of NTFB. 'Fulfilling Futures is the next evolution of that vision, building on the success of the past by harnessing our scale to more dynamically serve our neighbors and partners for the long term.' Fulfilling Futures aims to close critical meal gaps, equip partner organizations, expand a holistic approach to fight hunger, and ensure sustainable food access for all. The new strategic plan is a direct response to the urgent need in North Texas, where over 774,000 people, including one in five children, experience food insecurity. Rising inflation, housing costs, and stagnating wages have widened this gap, making NTFB's mission more crucial. Although NTFB essentially filled the meal gap across its service area over the last two years, its data analysis reveals uneven food distribution and disparities in access to holistic support services when zooming in closer at the ZIP code-level. In partnership with the Boston Consulting Group and after nearly a year of community and partner agency input, Fulfilling Futures introduces a transformative approach to harness the scale of NTFB to more dynamically serve neighbors and partners, for the long-term, with the goal of meeting at least 80% of the need in every ZIP code by the close of the next five years. 'This goal is important to meet the needs of our neighbors and accelerate their paths to self-sufficiency. We also believe that by better equipping partners and providing more holistic support through this plan, along with the efforts of those not in our partner network, we can close the hunger gap. We know access to nutritious food is the foundation to help someone get beyond the issue of food insecurity,' says plan is anchored in five strategic priorities: Increase Agility & Efficiency in Providing Food Access: The organization plans to use data-driven strategies, enhance operational efficiency, increase the amount of non-government food that is donated and support neighbors in applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Optimize the NTFB Partner Network:Deepened investments in NTFB's partner network of nearly 500 food pantries and community organizations will strengthen capacity, improve data-sharing, and support programs that connect food access with services like job training and healthcare. Expand Holistic Approach to Fighting Hunger:NTFB will continue to invest in holistic support that is designed to address the root causes of hunger. This plan calls for growing NTFB's FoodRx program, partnering with at least 50 medical clinics in the next five years and increasing our investments in those partners who are offering wrap-around services such as career training, financial coaching and health care. NTFB aspires to help its partner network grow or launch 20 additional services through these investments. Improve and Leverage Data to Meet the Need:Enhanced data systems that include input from partner agencies and neighbors will address disparities in food distribution and help tailor resources to meet the unique needs of every community. NTFB will also prioritize public reporting on food insecurity trends to improve the community's understanding, access, and utilization. Ensure Financial Sustainability:NTFB plans to grow its endowment and boost planned giving via its Full Plate Society. NTFB will continue to build its endowment to strengthen its financial position, ensuring that support is always available for families, no matter the market conditions. During the last five years, the North Texas Food Bank doubled its meal distribution, reaching a record 118 million physical meals last fiscal year, of which 90% were nutritious. Additionally, the Food Bank assisted in helping neighbors access over 19 million meals through SNAP application assistance. Building on this progress, Fulfilling Futures introduces a targeted, data-informed and community centered approach to ensure every neighbor, not just some, receives the nourishment and support they need. 'Hunger impacts everything—a child's ability to learn, a parent's ability to provide, a family's ability to thrive,' said Ginny Kissling, NTFB board chair and president of Americas and chief operating officer at Ryan. 'That's why this plan matters. Feeding families today opens doors for a stronger tomorrow.' 'We know that simply providing food isn't enough—our neighbors face systems that too often stand in the way of lasting progress,' said Cunningham. 'That's why Fulfilling Futures is more than a plan; it's a community-powered movement to tackle those systemic barriers head-on. The North Texas Food Bank calls on donors, volunteers, policymakers, and partners to join us in this bold mission. When North Texas comes together, we don't just fight hunger—we transform lives and fulfill futures.' To support this effort or explore partnership opportunities, visit # # # # 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. 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 or connect with us on social media @NorthTexasFoodBank. Attachment North Texas Food Bank Fulfilling Futures CONTACT: Jeff Smith North Texas Food Bank 469-891-7022 in to access your portfolio
