Together We Can Food & Fund Drive has met 30% of goal, needs donations on last day

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - It’s the last day of the Together We Can Food and Fund drive, and we’re down in donations.

At last check we have raised around $70,000, and that’s only 30% of the $250,000 goal to be met by the end of today.

“Our biggest needs right now are the monetary gift which allows us to quickly buy food in mass quantities and get it out to our feeding partner agencies quickly,” said Tina Brohlin, director of development for HPFB. “Those of us who are blessed and are able to buy food and have electricity and make ends meet, it’s our job to take care of our neighbors when we are able to because they would do the same for us.’

The HPFB has been down in volunteers since the pandemic started.

Another need is volunteers for after the food drive as there’s lots to do before HPFB can distribute all the donated food.

HPFB said this is a great way to give if you’re unable to financially support this year. Instead, you can donate your time!

“We need to go through everything that’s donated. We follow food safety regulations and were looking at everything, looking at dates and integrity of the food in the container that is provided. But, that’s not something that we (staff) can do simply because of the quantity of food,” said Zack Wilson, executive director of High Plains Food Bank.

HPFB says it takes two hours for a group of 15 to 20 people unload about five to six boxes, which is about 10 to 20 thousand pounds of food.

“It’s an important part of what we do. We literally can’t distribute any item, any donated food item that comes in here without volunteer help to look and go over that. So, it’s crucially important,” said Wilson.

If you’re interested in volunteering, you can visit their website or make an appointment by calling (806) 374-8562.

“It’s so important to keep in mind that hunger can happen to anyone at any time for any number of reasons. We really saw that this year through COVID and through shutdowns in the service industry and things like that. People who have never needed food assistance before have come to High Plains Food Bank and our feeding partners asking for help and many of these were once donors to the Food Bank,” said Brohlin.

If you’re unable to make it out to the food drive today, you can donate online or you can donate at any United in the Texas Panhandle. The United Family will be matching a portion of those donations at the register.

If you’d like to make it out today, please know the dangerous winds are not impacting the food drive. But to stay safe, the food drive will be moving inside to shelter in the café area at United Market Street on Georgia.

You still can just pull up and donate, there will be volunteers outside to take your donations if you’d like to drive up and give.

The food of the day today is canned meat and the final day to donate out at United Market Street on Georgia from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Just $1 can feed a family of six.

For more information, times, dates and locations click here.

Here you can find information about how to help the senior citizens community, the Kids Café and The Garden at the High Plains Food Bank.

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