The South Texas Food Bank continues to be on the front line of the childhood hunger issue in Laredo and the area. It was reported by South Texas Food Bank  executive director Alfredo Castillo at Wednesday’s monthly  STFB board  meeting that an additional 16,000 bags of food  will be  distributed  as part of the Summer Food Nutrition Program. “When it’s all said and done,  it  will bring our total to 40,000 bags distributed  in our eight-county service area,” Castillo said calling it “a great program that will go a long away (toward helping battle childhood hunger).”  Needy families are picking up 50-pound bags.

Texas ranks No.  1 in states with the highest rate of food insecure children under the age of 18 at  22.1 per cent. The number  is shockingly higher in Laredo at  42 percent.  The Summer Food Nutrition Program is funded by a grant to the Texas Food Bank Network that brought in 1.2 million pounds of food for distribution through Sept. 30.  The new distribution sites  are to be determined. The South Texas Food Bank distributed 1,086,424 pounds of product in July, increasing the year’s  total to  5,999,212 pounds (5.99 million). Clients served through June included  126,521 families, 108,861 children, 203,151 adults and 310,142 meals.

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP),  mostly  for elderly, served a record  7,186 individuals in July. The program has 1,104 on a waiting list. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly Food Stamps, had 472 applicants, representing 635 adults and 659 children. SNAP applications for the year are 2,879, among them 3,859 adults and 3,695 children.
Kids Cafes, an afternoon meal,  served 980 children 20,580 meals in July at 12 Laredo-Webb County sites.  The year’s total is 97,755 meals. South Texas Food Bank clients received 103.36 pounds per person in poverty, which is much higher than the media of 55.85 pounds for the service area according to Feeding America standards. Board president Olga Maldonado lauded  Castillo and the food bank staff  for “working long hours to provide  enthusiastic service to the clients.” Cindy Liendo Espinoza, coordinator of the Laredo Energy Arena-South Texas Food Bank Empty Bowls IV fundraiser Aug. 25 at the LEA, reported the table  seating is almost sold out – 74 of the 82 tables are committed. The event features a concert by Three Dog Night and honors State Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) for her contribution to the food bank. Plenty of concert only tickets are available at $30, $20 and $15.

For information call the food bank at (956) 726-3120. Liendo Espinoza said  of the concert, “We’ve seen Three Dog Night on facebook. It’s a great show. We’re hearing a lot of buzz.” The food bank is also  honoring Empty Bowls IV artists at a Monday reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Laredo Center for the Arts, downtown. Special recognition will also go to Constable Rudy Rodriguez and Blas Castaneda for their help during the lock up on July 22. Rodriguez “arrested” the celebrity  “jailbirds” led by Castaneda, who raised $14,000 at the event.

(Salo Otero is director of development for the South Texas Food Bank)

By SALO OTERO
South Texas Food Bank Director of Development

The event was announced on Wednesday May 12 at a press conference at the Laredo Energy Arena. South Texas Food Bank board member co-chairs are Anna Benavides Galo and Kevin Romo.

Tickets for the concert go sale on May 28 via ticketmaster and at the LEA boxoffice. Tickets are $30, $20 and $15. Prime tickets on the floor will be sold at 80 tables of 10. The table seats, which include a meal and access to the silent auction of Empty Bowls artwork, are priced at five levels — $20,000 diamond, $10,000 platinum, $5,000 gold, $2,500 silver and $1,000 bronze. For table seating call the STFB 956.726-3120.

Three Dog Night recorded 21 Top 40 hits in the 1970s, including No. 1s, Mama Told Me (Not To Come), Joy To The World and Black and White. Shambala was a No. 3 and three were at No. 4 — Easy To Be Hard, An Old Fashioned Love Song and The Show Must Go On.

More than 50 artwork bowls from more than 20 Laredo artists will be sold during a silent auction. Longtime Laredo artist rancisco “Pancho” Farias, in charge of the bowl art for the STFB, has painted 17 bowls. Local and national celebrity autographed bowls have been a feature of Empty Bowls. Among the autographs this year are Carlos Mencia, George Lopez, Chicago, Foreigner, Three Dog Night, Daddy Yankee, Intocable, Bucks coach Terry Ruskowski, former Laredo major league shortstop Freddie Benavides and former Dallas Cowboys Bill Bates, Roy Williams and Chad Hennings,

About the honoree, food bank executive director Alfredo Castillo said,

“Sen. Zaffirini has been a true champion for the hungry of Laredo and

South Texas. Through her efforts the food bank has helped thousands of families put food on the table in these difficult economic times. She knows well the food bank mission of feeding the hungry. Because of her contact with Wayne Reaud, the Beaumont Foundation has donated thousands of dollars to the South Texas Food Bank.”

Zaffirini noted, “Although hunger is a serious issue in both rural and

urban South Texas, unfortunately, it is overlooked too often,” said Sen. Zaffirini. “The Empty Bowls campaign will help raise awareness and provide critical funding to fight hunger in our communities. No South Texans should have to choose between going to the grocery store and paying their bills.” She was not able to attend the press conference because of committee hearings in Austin. She was represented at the press conference by her sister Celita Pappas Borchers.

Roy Medina, general manager of the Laredo Energy Arena, said, , “The

Laredo Energy Arena is proud to be a part of the Empty Bowls fundraiser put on by the South Texas Food Bank. Each year the event has grown bigger and been more successful than the previous year. This year we are honored to recognize Senator Judith Zaffirini during the Empty Bowls and especially excited by this year’s entertainment which will be provided by none other than music icons Three Dog Night. It will definitely be an entertaining evening and will help support a great cause of feeding the less fortunate.”

Olga Maldonado, president of the South Texas Food Bank board, echoed, “The Laredo Energy Arena (formerly Laredo Entertainment Center) has been a jewel of a partner with the South Texas Food Bank. Without their help, the food bank could not be of service to so many living with food insecurity. We are blessed to have the arena on our side.”

The food bank made a special presentation of a Farias-painted bowl to Medina and the LEA for their title sponsorship of Empty Bowls. The bowl depicts the Laredo Energy Arena.

Last year’s Empty Bowls honoree was Arturo N. Benavides Sr. and the concert by 1970s and 80s Grammy Award-winning America.

By SALO OTERO

The fifth annual Border Media-South Texas Food Bank radio drive for the hungry of the Laredo area is June 28 to July 11 over the five Border Media stations — La Ley 100.5, Hot 106.1, Digital 107.3, The Works 94.9 and Norteno 1490.

The radio drive is a fundraiser for the South Texas Food Bank mission of feeding the hungry. Serving the community for 20-plus years, the food bank’s scope of service has increased dramatically during these difficult economic times.

The announcement of the radio drive and statistics from a recent hunger study were announced at a press conference Tuesday April 20 at Embassy Suites.

“We certainty believe in the food bank mission and have seen first-hand the need,” Ana Rivera Soto, general sales manager of Border Media, said, noting that “our trips to promote the Census 2010 in the colonias and other areas of Laredo have exposed us to awareness of the need for food among our Laredoans. We are happy to continue as partners with the South Texas Food Bank in this noble mission.”

South Texas Food Bank executive director Alfredo Castillo praised Border Media. “Their partnership with the food bank has been golden in helping feed Laredo’s hungry. Obviously, hunger exists in our own backyard. And hunger is unacceptable this day in age in our Laredo and these United States.”

The STFB distributes supplemental food to 21,000 families monthly in an eight-county area from Rio Grande City to Del Rio. “Our clients live in one of the poorest sections of the state and nation where the poverty rate is between 33 percent and 42 percent,’’ Castillo said. “That is double the state average and triple the national.”

Olga Maldonado, an executive with AEP-Texas and president of the South Texas Food Bank board, said, “The hunger study the food bank staff conducted recently in cooperation with Feeding America reveals the tremendous need.”

During the two-week period of June 28 to July 11 Laredo radio listeners can tune in to BM stations 24 hours per day and call in donations and pledges to the South Texas Food Bank main number 956-726-3120 during 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. office hours and to any of these three numbers after 5 p.m., 956 – 771-5389, 774-8318 or 771-5545. The three numbers are courtesy of Cricket Communicatons of Laredo, Johnny Costales, district director. Donations can be sent directly to the South Texas Food Bank, PO Box 2007, Laredo, Tex.,. 78044. All are tax deductible.

To raise the funds, the STFB is selling radio sponsorships for donations
of $1,500, $5,000 and $10,000. The sponsors name will be aired throughout the radio drive 150 times during 30-second promos to be shared with three other sponsors. The $5,000 donor will also receive a personal interview during the radio drive. The $10,000 or more donor will have a two-hour radio remote broadcast from their place of business. Additionally, sponsor donors will receive $32 tickets to the Laredo Energy Arena-South Texas Food Bank Empty Bowls concert featuring Three Dog Night on Aug. 25. The $1,500 sponsor gets four concert tickets, the $5,000 sponsor six tickets and the $10,000 sponsor 10 tickets. Empty Bowls is honoring State Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) for her contribution to the food bank mission of feeding the hungry.

(Salo Otero is director of development for the South Texas Food Bank)

Representatives of the Diocese of Laredo Catholic Schools present a check to the South Texas Food Bank, monies they collected during a recent lenten sacrifice. In this photo taken by Goyo Lopez of the diocese with Mike Kazen of the food bank staff and Jaime Arizpe of the food bank board are school children and administators, including Supt. Dr. Rosa Maria Vida. Almost $2,000 was collected by St. Augustine, Mary Help of Christians, Guadalupe, St. Peter and Blessed Sacrament Schools.

By SALO OTERO
South Texas Food Bank Director of Development

Enter  Hal’s Landing and proprietor Tom Lamont with monthly charity events
for six Laredo groups in 2010. The fundraisers, which feature
entertainment,  started in February and run through December.

The next event is May 6 (a Thursday night)  from 8  to midnight at Hal’s
Landing, 6510 Arena Road next to the Laredo Energy Arena (formerly Laredo
Entertainment Center).  It features the music of  Little Sister  to
benefit  the South Texas Food Bank mission of feeding the hungry. The
South Texas Food Bank serves 21,000 families per month in an eight-county
area, including 15,000 families in Laredo-Webb County.

Lamont, born in Brownsville but graduated high school in Chicago and
college  the South Dakota School of Mines, moved to Laredo in 1983 to
start  L.O.G. Energy. He  opened Hal’s Landing, a restaurant and
entertainment business, more than three years ago.

Explaining his involvement, he noted, “We  (along with wife Marianne)
started charity events  for  non-profits to  make a difference. We know
about the economy and how hard it is to raise funds. “

Little Sister is a Laredo group that has been playing the local and area
scene  for 10 years. They will entertain with  classic rock, rock and roll
and pop. The band members  include the husband and wife team of  Monique
Godines on vocals and Ramon “Mony” Godines on guitar. The other two  also
have family ties, Al Rubio on bass guitar; and his son, Chris Rubio, on
drums. Al is a longtime Laredo musician and Chris is a TAMIU music
student. Ramon and Al also do vocals.

Monique and Ramon, parents of two young children,  are school teachers.
She is in the classroom at Borchers Elementary and he is a music teacher
at Killam Elementary.  Monique said  Little Sister has been the opening
act for the likes of Flaco Jimenez, Outfield and Fastball.

Lamont said, “We had Little Sister when we first opened Hal’s. Everyone
enjoyed them very much. The put on a good show.” Danny Cuellar, treasurer
of the food bank board,  is the event chairman.  “Tom and  Marianne are
very giving people to their community. This event proves  it again.”

Tickets are now on sale at $10 per person, available at  the door on May 6
and the South Texas Food Bank by calling  (956)  726-3120.  The South
Texas Food Bank will  also sell chances for  several raffle items  that
night.  There will be $2,000 worth of  prizes. Among the items are a
Laredo Bucks St. Patrick Day game jersey,  season tickets for two to 2010
Laredo Broncos baseball. Pancho Farias framed artwork,  $50 gift
certificate for Silpata Design Jewelry, a Mother‘s Day gift basket,
Holiday Inn buffet dinner for two, three months membership for Curves
women‘s center, ice chest and  beer from Southern Distributing and L&F
Distributing and four-pack tickets to Laredo Energy Arena-South Texas
Empty Bowls concert Aug. 25 with Three Dog Night. Raffle tickets will be
$5 each or five for $20.

Other local organizations benefiting from Hal’s generosity will be Voz de
Ninos, Casa de  Misericordia, Habitat for Humanity, Bethany House and
Make-A-Wish Foundation. Kevin Courser and Stephen Anderson are the Hal’s
charity events  coordinators.

South Texas Food Bank executive director Alfredo Castillo reported at a
recent food bank board meeting that SNAP  outreach  filled out 4,522
applications in 2009, representing 6,087 adults and 5.920 children.  After
the first two months of 2010, the STFB  staff has filled out 700
applications that represent 938 adults and 899 children.

Castillo noted that about $40 million per year of unclaimed SNAP benefits
are returned to the federal government. “That’s a lot of money that could
be pumped into our economy, but for a lot of reasons, people from our area
do not apply for the SNAP program. This is help  that is entitled and
we’re doing our part. The outreach has been a big plus  to our clients and
the economy.”

The HHSC started contracting with the TFBN in 2006 to expand the
assistance to low-income Texans who needed help applying for  the food
benefits. A $1.5 million contract was signed with all 19 Texas food banks
participating in the outreach. Food banks informed families seeking their
assistance about SNAP food benefits and could help them complete the
application. The food banks then delivered the completed applications to
the state for processing.

Additionally, a  SNAP pilot started in March that  includes  the larger
metro area food bank of Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston. A
waiver was issued allowing the pilot food banks to count application
assistance as the interview, avoiding duplication of the process. All
information from food bank workers is submitted to the state where state
workers review the case, gather more information, if needed, and make the
final eligibility determination.

The new pilot has grown to $3.5 million per year to cover additional
outreach staff and training. All other food banks, including the South
Texas Food Bank in Laredo, are still under the original agreement doing
outreach and application assistance.

The South Texas Food Bank staff, headed by Alma Blanco,  has been hard at
work, setting up application sites at businesses across   Laredo and the
eight-county area of service. For information call Blanco at (956)
726-3120.  The South Texas Food Bank is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m.
to noon and 1 p.m. to 5. It is located at 1907 Freight  (at Riverside) in
west Laredo.  The STFB staff is usually at the H.E.B. stores signing  up
individuals  for the SNAP program.

“The need in our service area is huge,“ Castillo said. “Between 33 and 42
percent of our population live below the poverty guidelines.“ The STFB, in
its 20th year of service to the community, assists  21,000 families per
month with supplemental food.

The South Texas Food Bank is a  charitable non-profit.Tax deductible
donations can be mailed to PO Box 2007, Laredo, Tex., 78044. The web site
is www.southtexasfoodbank.org

Maldonado, a graduate of Eagle Pass High School (1974) and Texas
A&I-Kingsville, is the manager of external affairs for AEP and has also
worked with the company in Corpus Chirsti, Uvalde and Laredo since 1982.
The mother of three children ages 25, 23 and 21, Maldonado has been in
Laredo since 1992.

“The food bank is a great organization that helps a lot of people. We have
a great team of board members and staff,“ Maldonado said. “The hunger
issue is huge in Laredo.“ She served as board vice president last year and
on the development and speakers bureau committees. She chaired the
speakers bureau and co-chaired the radio drive fundraiser.

Other officers elected were Kevin Romo, vice president; Annie Zapata
Dodier, secretary and Danny Cuellar, treasurer. The outgoing president is
Erasmo Villarreal. The officers take over in March.

The campaign is called the Biggest Loser.  But the winners are Feeding
America’s food banks across the nation.

Feeding America is the national food bank network that includes 206 food
banks, including the South Texas Food Bank in Laredo. Feeding America has
teamed up with the  NBC television show, the Biggest Loser,  to bring
awareness and raise funds  to fight  hunger in Laredo.

The Biggest Loser is a  pound-for-pound weight-loss contest  that  has
pledged 14 cents per pound pledged by viewers who sign up. As of this past
week, Laredo has a team of 55 who have pledged to lose a combined  1,785
pounds.  That  means the local food bank has $250 in pledges.

Cindy Liendo Espinoza of the South Texas Food Bank is coordinating the
event locally. Espinoza said, “Feeding America gets the donation just for
making a pledge and they distribute the money. We are encouraging people
to sign up and  to support each other in losing weight.

“We’re promoting a healthy lifestyle and weight loss  is certainly
healthy. It benefits the  person and the South Texas Food Bank mission of
feeding the hungry. It‘s a win, win for  all concerned.”

The South Texas Food Bank’s 1,785 pounds to lose ranks 15th  in  Texas.
The top-ranking belongs to Houston with  1,511 team members pledging to
lose 47,596.  The event runs through June.

For information contact  Espinzoa on facebook and twitter at facebook
(South Texas Food Bank) and twitter:  www.twitter.com/SoTxFoodBank
Information  nationally is available at www.pfpchallenge.com/tx

The food bank is a non-profit 501 c-3 organization that serves people from
birth to death. Tax deductible donations can be sent to  PO Box 2007,
Laredo, Tex., 78044. The phone number is (956)  726-3120 and website,
www.southtexasfoodbank,org The food bank, at 1907 Freight and Riverside in
west Laredo,  is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.

As of  December of 2009, the South Texas Food Bank served 21,000 families
per month, including 6,000 elderly and 6,000 children in an eight-county
area, where the poverty rate is one of the highest in state at between 32
to 40 per cent. The food bank distributed a record 9.2 million pounds of
product in 2009. “The need is in our own backyard,” noted food bank
executive director Alfredo Castillo.

“Every agency had at least an increase of between 20 and 50 percent from
last year,” Solis said. “The need is great and we’re still looking for
eligible non-profit organizations to help us increase distribution.”
Here is what the county distribution site representatives are saying about
the South Texas Food Bank and the 2009 figures.

Zapata County

Norma Mendoza of Helping Hands in Zapata County said, “The South Texas
Food Bank means a lot to Zapata County. It helps a lot of people with food
on their table. When I started three years ago we didn’t even have 100
families, now more than 800 families are being helped.
“Our need is great. We have a lot of unemployment. We ran out of product
in December. Some school organizations had food drives and also collected
$30.”
The adopt-a-family program is catching fire. “We have 50 families thanks
to a grant from United Way and the work of Romeo Salinas.” Salinas is a
valued member of the South Texas Food Bank board. A donation of $120
allows a family to receive a bag of groceries per month for one year.
The South Texas Food Bank serves Zapata at five pantries. Food
distributions are made at:
– Helping Hands, Norma Mendoza is the contact person, 8th and Del Mar,
765-9327. Helping Hands also has a distribution site in San Ygnacio.
– Boys and Girls Club, 6th and Lincoln, 765-3892.
– Concilio el Buen Pastor, Maria Hernandez is the contact, Hawk Street
and Falcon Meza, 765-1300.
– Iglesia Pentecostes Emmanuel, 302 East Highway 16, 765-5440.
– Shepherd’s Pantry, Mary Pulido contact person, 305 Hawk Street, 765-0123.
Jim Hogg County
The South Texas Food Bank distributes food to the needy of Hebbronville at
Hebbronville Food Pantry, 412 W. Galbraith. Cynthia Guerra is the contact
person. She can be reached at (361) 527-4873.
Ms. Guerra said, “The South Texas Food Bank means a lot to the people of
this area. We have seen an increase in the need because of our
unemployment. We are helping a lot of needy. We’re open five days pedr
week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All they have to do is come by and we’ll help
as needed. We deliver to ranches, the disabled and elderly. I drive the
county vehicle and the guys do the work. Judge (Guadalupe) Canales has
been a big help.”

Val Verde County

The agencies in Del Rio are:
– Bethel Center of Val Verde, 900 East Thirteenth St. Luz Covarrubias is
the contract at 830- 775-1610.
– First Baptist Church, 301 Avenue G. Gisela Lenz is the contact at 830 -
775-7463.
– Jesus Loves You Church, 310 Water Ave. The contact is Pastor Jaime
Giraldo at 830 – 774-4810.
– Texas A&M Colonias of Val Verde, 1690 Cienegas Road. Juanita Ortiz is
the contact at 830- 768-1054.
Ms. Lenz praised, “The South Texas Food Bank is one of the most wonderful
things that has happened to Val Verde County. It is so easy to work with
the food bank. Elia (agency coordinator) and Gloria (Moreno, distribution
coordinator) are phenomenal.
“We were doing 35 families every other month in March of 2009. But if
you’re hungry, you’re hungry every month. The mayor told us that 1,099
families had never had help. They had no food. We served 686 families in
December. We have two big distributions working together with the country.
It’s really working great and the food bank has taken the lead.”
Val Verde County commissioner Jesus Ortiz is a valued member of the South
Texas Food Bank board.

Starr County

The South Texas Food Bank‘s distribution sites in Starr County include:
– Iglesia Apostolica Cristiana, 958 North Efren Ramirez Road, in Roma.
Pastor Guadalupe Cortez is the coordinator and he can be reached at (956)
437-2721. They distribute in Roma, Los Alvarez, La Rosita and Los
Villarreales.
– Del Pueblo Children’s Home, 1812 Red Oak Ave., in Rio Grande City, Irma
Vasquez, coordinator (956) 487-7949.
– Communidad Cristiana, 304 Flores Street, Rio Grande City, Pastor Arturo
Gonzalez, coordinator (956) 844-4488.
– San Isidro Food Pantry, PO Box 57, Santa Elena, Minerva Margo,
coordinator (956) 481-3210. They distribute in San Isidro and Santa Elena.
– Templo de los Olivos, 5768 Lovell Street, Rio Grande City, Pastor
Anselma Guerrero, coordinator (956) 735-9053. They distribute in
Garciasville and La Puerta Subdivision.
– Templo Rosa de Saron, Elias Lopez and Sixth Street, Rio Grande City,
Pastor Pablo Ramirez, coordinator (956) 735-4233. They distribute in
Mike’s Subdivision and Alto Bonito.
Every dollar donated helps secure either 10 pounds of food, seven meals or
$15 worth of groceries.
Pastor Ramirez said, “The South Texas Food Bank has been ‘una grande
bendicion’ (a huge blessing). It has helped a lot. We’re very happy with
the program. All the money comes from here and we’ve battled, but we’re
giving it our best effort.
“The need is huge and I know these bags of groceries are a big help. We
started with 100 families, now we’re helping more than 150 per month.”

Maverick County

The South Texas Food Bank ‘s four pantries distributing food in are Eagle
Pass area include:
– Boys and Girls Club of Eagle Pass at Pct. 1 Computer Center, 2991 El
Indio Highway, Albert Menchca coordinator (830) 773-7262.
– Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, Reservation, Teresa Garza,
coordinator (830) 776-6177.
– Quad Cities at Nick Carr Recreation Center, Ana Delia Valdez,
coordinator (830) 752-1323.
– San Lucas Lutheran Church, 1725 Edison Road, Myriam S. Velasquez,
coordinator (830) 773-9310.
Pastor Nelson Velasquez of San Lucas Church said the South Texas Food Bank
has been a blessing to Eagle Pass. “Our unemployment is one of the highest
in the area. Our need has been increasing steadily,” Velasquez said. “We
were serving 48 families per month and now we’re up to 150 to 160. People
have been very happy to get the help from Laredo.”
Velasquez lauded the participation from the new Wal Mart that opened this
year. “Wal Mart has been good to us. They’ve decided to give us food — an
average of 1,200 pounds per week. It has complimented what we get from the
South Texas Food Bank and has helped feed families of four, six and seven
children. We’re also helping the elderly. Wal Mart is committed.”
Romelia Cardona of Eagle Pass is a valued member of the South Texas Food
Bank board. Eagle Pass native Olga Maldonado, now working with AEP-Texas
in Laredo, is also on the food bank board.

Dimmit County

The South Texas Food Bank distributes food at its pantry at the Dimmit
County EMS, 1602 North First Street. Gerardo Iturbe is the contact person
(830) 876-4234. There are additional distributions in Catarina, Asherton
and Big Wells.
County commissioner Rodrigo Jaime of Asherton is on the South Texas Food
Bank board.
Iturbe notes, “The South Texas Food Bank has been very helpful. We’ve had
a high percentage of uemployment. The need is big. Last year we had about
500 applicants for help, this year it’s well over 600.”
He lauded the volunteer help. “We have several volunteers who help us
every month. Some who have been helping for a very long time,” Iturbe
said, mentioning “Bruno Ledesma, Ramon Garcia and Juan Sauceda and their
spouses.”

Kinney County

The South Texas Food Bank distributes food in Brackettville at one pantry,
Kinney County Church Alliance, 111 West Spring Street. The organizer is
Leigh Volcsko. She can be reached at 830 – 776-3180.

During January,  daily tours of the food bank  are planned  from 9 a.m. to
noon and 1 p.m. to 4 Monday through Friday.  The first day of  tours is
Monday, Jan. 4. Food bank personnel is urging  groups  to make
arrangements for tours by calling  (956) 726-3120.  Special tours can also
be arranged on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon. Individual tours are
also welcome.

South Texas Food Bank executive director Alfredo Castillo noted, “We’ve
been  fulfilling the mission of feeding the hungry for two decades.
People have read and heard  about,  and seen  our mission in action.
During this open house month , we hope Laredoans come and see where it all
starts.”

The Lamar Bruni Vergara South Texas Food Bank building is located in west
Laredo, one block south of Calton Road.

The  South Texas Food Bank, a Feeding Ameica affiliate,  had a
record-breaking 2009, distributing 9.1 million pounds of product in an
eight-county area  that stretches from Del Rio to Rio Grande City. The
previous high was 8.6 million pounds set in 2005.

The  food bank’s role in the community is to distribute supplemental food
to the needy.  Those who qualify as “needy”  are individuals and families
living under the state and federal poverty guidelines. They include those
on fixed incomes, the under-employed and unemployed.

And the need in our South Texas is huge as one of the most impoverished
areas in the state and nation. The South Texas Food Bank now serves 21,000
families per month, among them 6,000-plus children and 6,000-plus elderly.
The food bank is the non-profit 501 c-3 organization that serves people
from birth to death.

Tax deductible donations can be sent to  PO Box 2007, Laredo, Tex., 78044.
The phone number is (956)  726-3120.  It is also on face book and twitter
at facebook (South Texas Food Bank) and twitter:
www.twitter.com/SoTxFoodBank

The South Texas Food Bank’s  20th anniversary  celebration started in
December with a one mile hunger walk at the North Central Park.

The food bank  opened  in December of 1989 as the Laredo-Webb County Food Bank  in the back room of what is now the H.E.B. on Calton Road. The
H.E.B. store chain was the principal corporate partner in the venture. The
board of directors consisted of  civic-minded Laredoans and some H.E.B.
employees.  Charter board member Erasmo Villarreal is the current
president of the board. The board committee chairs are Danny Cuellar,
finance; Felipe Perez Garcia, food coalition; Anna Benavides Galo,
development; Olga Maldonado, speakers’ bureau; and Kevin Romo,
public-policy programs.

The four-month long 20th celebration will continue in  February  with
special events at the 12 South Texas Food Bank Kid’s Cafes.