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Food items still needed!
Food items are still needed for Texas Farm Bureau's Young Farmer & Rancher Program's food drive for America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest charitable hunger relief organization, which distributes a billion pounds of donated food annually.
Young agricultural producers have been collecting food all fall for this special project at county Farm Bureaus. The drive will culminate with a huge "food drop" for the San Antonio Food Bank at the association's annual convention in San Antonio.
According to statistics compiled by America's Second Harvest, Texas—with a population of nearly 21 million people—has a poverty rate of 15.2 percent, a child poverty rate of 21.1 percent, and an unemployment rate of 6.3 percent. And, some 13.9 percent of Texas families are food insecure, meaning they do not always have access to enough food to meet their basic needs.
"Everyone needs a place at the table," said Mark Sustaire, chairman of TFB's Young Farmer & Rancher Committee. "This project will demonstrate TFB members' concern for the hungry and showcase the quality, safety and affordability of food in America."
Sustaire encouraged Farm Bureau members who plan to attend the convention to bring "four or five" cans of food, or cash equivalent.
"We're planning a major presentation to the Food Bank in San Antonio that will hopefully receive wide media coverage," Sustaire said.
"Most needed" food items include the following: peanut butter, cereal, tuna, beans, rice, macaroni and cheese, chili, canned stews, soups and luncheon meats, full meals in a can/box, and "pop top" food items.
