The Storehouse of Collin County is celebrating new additions to its food distribution program, thanks to the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB). The Storehouse now has a new sprinter van as well as six new tents, 30 traffic cones, eight carts, 10 stanchions, 12 vinyl rolling bins, three portable radios and six plastic folding tables.
“The North Texas Food Bank has been our faithful partner for 15 years, helping us to meet a 450% increase in the demand for food over the last two years,” said The Storehouse of Collin County CEO Candace Winslow. “Serving around 5,000 households monthly with 80+ pounds of food is only possible because of our ongoing partnership. This Capacity Building Grant has allowed us to drive incremental growth regarding pounds of food as we enhance our efficiency as well as safety procedures for neighbors, volunteers, and staff.”
The new van will allow for an increase in retail food program pickups as well as use in off-site food distribution activities such as the nonprofit’s monthly delivery and on-location service of Evergreen Arbor Hills Senior Living facility.
During the same fiscal year, The Storehouse also received a NTFB Hope for Tomorrow Grant, supporting The Academy education program and its expansion of neighbor language, job, and life skills training.
“The Academy education program first began in 2022 with 40 neighbors enrolled in our ESL program, and this semester, we are proud to welcome 198 neighbors into the program,” said The Academy Director Ligia Urrego. “It is hard to believe that a program that started only two years ago has been able to accommodate such tremendous growth! We are grateful for NTFB’s support of The Academy through the Hope for Tomorrow Grant, which has allowed us to lean into this growth and holistically serve our neighbors.”
Through The Academy, The Storehouse fosters relationships with neighbors and connects them with education and services that lead to long-term change. In addition to the ESL classes, The Academy offers education in health management, computers, automotive certification, and more.
“The NTFB continues to be a critical part of our growth journey through ongoing support and pivotal grants as we adapt and expand to meet the needs of our community through our integrated programs,” said Winslow. “We look forward to our continued partnership for years to come as we work to provide nutritious food to our neighbors with the highest levels of love, care, and compassion.”
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