42 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2018 M any would have a hard time believing that hunger is an issue in North Texas. The North Texas Food Bank knows better. Right now there are more than 800,000 people across their 13-county service area who are food in-secure – meaning they don’t always know where their next healthy meal will come from. According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap, more than 132,700 of those are in Collin County alone. The NTFB already provides access to 190,000 meals every day through its partnerships with over 200 agencies across Texas, but they know they can do more, and the organization is thrilled that its new facilities in Plano will allow them to better accomplish their mission. Limited access to good food leads to other issues, including long-term health issues that can, in turn, lead to continued poverty. Their services can make a big difference in an entire community long-term. Erica Yaeger, Chief External Affairs Officer for the NTFB knows that for as much as they’re doing, they are not reaching everyone in need. She says, “In 2015 the Food Bank created our game plan for how we would take on the meal gap and work our way to providing 92 million meals by 2025.” They knew that it would take a commitment to three pillars to achieve this goal. Through network expansion, improved client visibility and community engagement the agency is strategically working to ensure that everyone who needs their services has access to them. It takes a lot of “teams” to support the North Texas Food Bank, and their partnership with local agencies from as far north as Oklahoma and as far south as Ennis to provide nutritious food to neighbors in need is expansive – and expensive. In January of this year they concluded their Stop Hunger Build Hope capital campaign that enabled them to raise $55 million – the largest social service campaign in North Texas History – to invest in the agencies they work with and to establish new ones where there’s a need. Yaeger says, “Every partner agency is different with unique community support. Some are 100% volunteer based, while others have full time staff in place. The unifier is the dedication to ensuring that all of our neighbors have the food that they need to thrive.” She adds, “The Food Bank is proud to say that 94% of every dollar goes directly to our mission of providing food for hungry children, seniors and families via our Feeding Network as NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK'S GAME PLAN TO WIPE OUT HUNGER by Alicia Wanek “In 2015 the Food Bank created our game plan for how we would take on the meal gap and work our way to providing 92 million meals by 2025,” says NTFB’s Erica Yaeger. That plan includes the newly constructed Perot Family Campus in Plano featuring over 230,000 square feet, including space for a community learning garden and even party rental packages.