Willis Food Fair serves 854 families

CONROE, Texas -- Entergy teamed up with the Montgomery County Food Bank Saturday, June 2 in Willis to serve families in need. Nearly 100 volunteers showed up at 9:00am to bag food in preparation for the Food Fair that served 854 families. Each family received bags of fresh cantaloupe and corn, mixed beverages, canned fruits and vegetables, 50 pounds of frozen meats, rice, and several bags of cereal totaling an average of 150 pounds.

This was the second Food Fair this year that the MCFB has provided for families in need. Entergy funded $2500 towards the recent Food Fair, and Weisner Auto Group provided the funding for the first Food Fair in February, also in Willis. The event in February served 509 families, compared to 854 families last Saturday. The need skyrockets in summer months with children out of school.

Summer is a tough time for children, and their families in Montgomery County. Kids don’t receive the meals that the schools provide during the school year and often go hungry. A study released Monday by Feeding America shows that 27.1% of Texas children are at risk of going hungry. Montgomery County mirrors that statistic with 1 in 4 children food insecure.

“This study highlights an unacceptable level of food insecurity among children,” said Celia Cole, chief executive of the Texas Food Bank Network, in a news release. “Hungry children are more likely to have poor grades and health deficiencies, and these problems translate into lost productivity and higher health care costs as they age. We cannot afford to ignore this problem.”

Overheard at the Willis Food Fair Saturday, “I lost my job after being employed for 25 years. My wife has asthma and she needs to stay on medication. What little money I get for unemployment, I use for gas to find another job. We don’t have enough money to eat after all that. That’s why I’m here today.”

The MCFB urges everyone to get involved in fighting hunger through food drives, donations, and volunteering. For more information go to www.MontgomeryCountyFoodBank.com or call 936.539.6686. The Montgomery County Food Bank is supported through Feeding America, the Texas Food Bank Network, and the Houston Food Bank.