(November 9, 2023) LAREDO, TEXAS – IBC Bank and Commerce Bank announced this morning at a special press conference held at the IBC Main Bank on San Bernardo (Laredo, TX) that all their branches in their Laredo, Roma, Zapata, Eagle Pass and Del Rio markets will be collecting canned foods from November 15 through December 15 in benefit of The South Texas Food Bank to support their fight against hunger in the South Texas communities that they serve.

 

This campaign is a great fit for IBC’s Do More mantra that includes offering a venue where all the community can contribute to make this holiday season a brighter one for the less fortunate.

IBC Branch lobbies in Laredo, Zapata, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Hebbronville, Roma, and Rio Grande City will participate and will have collection bins available where the community may bring their non-perishable canned goods. Schools, businesses, and groups at large are invited to hold their own food drives and bring them to any of these IBC Branches during the food drive.

The items on the “most needed” list include peanut butter, rice, beans, cereal, macaroni; and canned goods like fruits, vegetables, juice and meat. For a complete list, the community can visit southtexasfoodbank.org/food-drives for more information.

 

“Inflation is challenging all families to make ends meet during these difficult times. IBC and Commerce Banks want to do their part and invite others to join in the effort to fight hunger through this food drive,” stated Gabriel Castillo, Senior Vice President of marketing at IBC Bank.

 

“We serve an average of 615,000 people on a monthly basis. That is a lot of people that whose lives we touch, especially the young children and the elderly- they are the most vulnerable,” said Alma Boubel, STFB CEO, at the press conference,

 

She also noted that last year they were able to distribute 20 million pounds of food with the help of donors, supporters, and their partner agencies.

“We are so grateful to IBC for doing this hunger-relief campaign. Sadly, everyday more and more are struggling to make ends meet. Food drives are a great way to not only directly combat hunger, but also serve to create awareness about realities of hunger that our border and South Texas communities face every day, where the average poverty rate is 30%.”

Besides food items, the South Texas Food Bank is also accepting monetary donations, which can be made at southtexasfoodbank.org/donate.

 

Joining the press conference were IBC and food bank staff as well as members of the community.

 

About the food bank

The South Texas Food Bank is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission for over 30 years is to alleviate hunger in the eight-county service area in the south Texas area by collecting and distributing food through partner agencies and programs while creating awareness and educating the community on the realities of hunger throughout their eight-county service area: Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Maverick, Dimmit, Val Verde, Kinney and Starr counties.

 

The South Texas Food Bank is a proud member of Feeding America, Feeding Texas and the United Way of Laredo.

 

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