Palestine Food Distribution

PALESTINE � The East Texas Food Bank is distributing boxes of food to area families through the Summer Family Nutrition Program today till 7:00 p.m. at Palestine Civic Center, 1819 West Spring Street. The East Texas Food Bank and their volunteers will screen to determine eligibility and then distribute food to families who qualify. �The Summer Family Nutrition Program targets families with children who are struggling in this recession and are having difficultly providing nutritious food for their family,� said Dennis Cullinane, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank. �In four years, the East Texas Food Bank has grown 90 percent in the number of East Texans seeking emergency food assistance, that�s nearly double the national increase.�

Families will receive nutritional food boxes containing pantry staples such as pasta, spaghetti sauce, canned soups, stews, and fruit, peanut butter, baking mixes and other substantial food items. �Nearly half, 44 percent, of who the East Texas Food Bank serves are children,� said Cullinane. �The Summer Family Nutrition Program will alleviate both child hunger and child obesity for East Texas families
with children at risk of hunger.�

Since June, the East Texas Food Bank and their partner agencies have been distributing the food boxes to eligible families. The Summer Family Nutrition Program is a program of the Texas Food Bank Network. Those families who are eligible to participate are households with legal guardianship over at least one child under 18 years of age and with an annual household income equal to or less than 185 percent of the federal poverty guideline; families whose children received free or reduced-price lunches; or who receive WIC, SNAP (food stamps) and other federal programs.