Feeding those in need: Wednesday is our 27th annual KBTX Food For Families Food Drive

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - The 27th annual Food for Families Food Drive is back on Wednesday to serve those in need across the Brazos Valley.

Food pantries across the Brazos Valley team up with the Brazos Valley Food Bank and KBTX to fight hunger.

Suzy Mills, a Bryan resident, has volunteered with the Brazos Valley Food Bank for five years. She said her love for the food bank started when she taught elementary school and witnessed her children receiving food to bring home for the weekend. Otherwise known as the ‘BackPack Program’.

“Once I had retired I didn’t want to waste any of my time. I like being busy,” said Mills. “I thought about it and it was just something I didn’t even have to investigate because I had lived seeing it make a difference.”

Mills said she volunteers twice a week, every week. She works with other volunteers for different programs within the food bank and on Wednesday, she’ll partake in the annual Food for Families Food Drive.

“With the big food drive tomorrow it’s great to see the community, the whole community, come out. I think sometimes we forget that we all are interrelated and when one part doesn’t work, we all suffer, " Mills said. “The whole thing is just a great experience all the way around.”

Theresa Mangapora, Executive Director at the Brazos Valley Food Bank, said this year the donations are needed more than ever before.

“Inflation started in spring. I think it started hitting individual’s pocket books in the summer,” said Mangapora. “We’ve seen a decline in food donations a decline in monetary donations, and yet we’re seeing rising needs in people who need food.”

Mangapora told KBTX the goal is to surpass last year’s $300,000 in donations because it’s all about feeding our neighbors in need for the holidays and beyond.

“For me the event means it’s the start to the holiday spirit,” said Mangapora. “Seriously, if everyone in this community donated one can we’d have 300,000 pounds of food. For those of you doing more, for those that can only give a dollar online, all of it helps.”

The KBTX crew and volunteers will be collecting food and monetary donations at the Brazos Center and six other locations all day starting Wednesday morning. For more information on how to donate, click here.

Copyright 2022 KBTX. All rights reserved.