High Plains Food Bank gives back to the community

 By: Victoria Fatiregun


 

 


High Plains Food Bank works hard to provide for the Texas Panhandle community, and they are based in Amarillo, Texas. They work with agencies across the Texas Panhandle to ensure that people have food to eat. Beyond food, they provide access to services that can help individuals and families in need. High Plains Food Bank goes beyond food because they rely on their volunteers to ensure that people know their community cares about them. 

 

The Director of Marketing & Communications, Zivorad Filipovic (Z) discussed how High Plains Food Bank relies on their volunteers and agencies to get food to people, as well as social media promotion.

 


“We do a lot of social media promotion,” Z said. “Another way is partnering with businesses or non-profits to have them post either a virtual food and fun drive or collecting non-perishable food items.”

 

Fundraising is also a huge part of how High Plains Food Bank functions, and this fundraising also relies on the Panhandle community.

 

“I think the peer-to-peer fundraising or just people hosting drives on our behalf really shows what we do,” Z said.

 

High Plains Food Bank hosts a lot of events to allow the community to give back to those in need. One of these is Panhandle gives, which is held every year. These events keep them active in the minds of the community.

 

“A third thing would be probably just our two major events that we do each year,” Z said. “One is Panhandle gives… that gets us out to the public eye, with those monetary donations we can get more food. Our big together we can event is another thing. People donate food or funds and that is our partnership with News channel 10, Alpha Media and of course United.”

 

In order to make sure the community knows the High Plains Food Bank exists, the Food bank has tools on their website for agencies and organizations. The tools on their website allow their volunteers and agencies to know the events they are organizing and to offer help if necessary.

 

“So, I have noticed it’s not that hard,” Z said. “We have a great tool on our website on how you can host a drive. Organizations are giving back in some way. The food bank helps in those 29 counties we serve. We are always wanting folks to come and see what the food bank does.”

 

According to the High Plains Food Bank 2021 annual report letter, COVID-19 had a large impact on the food bank. The amount of households needing food had increased. This particular section of the report was written by Zach Wilson. The food bank had purchased "more than $2 million in food and product in 2021" wrote Zach Wilson, executive director at High Plains Food Bank.

 

“The food bank right now is a warehouse,” Z said. “We sort, store, and then distribute the food that we purchase. We have about 140 agency partners that have pantries on site, and they have a system, and they can order the food that we have in our warehouse. A lot of the food is free, and they can distribute the food to the people that live in their communities. In the counties we don’t have agencies in, we have direct mobile distribution.”

 

The High Plains Food Bank’s volunteers look for open or dented items that will then be sorted into bins so that people receive good food that is not expired.

 

“Our product recovery house is where our volunteers look for open or dented items,” Z said. “The items that are still good get sorted into bins.”

 

The 2021 annual report letter also goes into further statistics about the food bank, such as the 8.2 million pounds of food distributed, of which 20 percent was fresh produce. It also goes into the percentage of the Panhandle that is food insecure, which is as high as 16.1%. 



The website is a tool for people looking for help. High Plains Food Bank also offers assistance with SNAP and other social services. On the High Plains Food Bank website, they offer guidelines on who is eligible for social assistance, as well as having a form to set up an appointment at the food bank so that people can receive more help in person.

 

High Plains Food Bank shares with the community around them to give hope to others and to ensure that people do not go hungry. The goal is for the those in need in the Texas Panhandle community to know people care about them. Through interviewing the director of marketing and communications, I have learnt about the compassion of the community and those that work at the food bank. 


If you would like to give back to the community, you can visit the High Plains Food Bank website for more information.

 

 




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