The Storehouse of Collin County is increasing its food pantry and wraparound services with the addition of two North Texas Food Bank grants, a news release announced today.
With the 2023 Capacity Building Grant, the Storehouse will add a new sprinter van, tents, carts and cones for food distribution,
“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 Candace Winslow, CEO of The Storehouse of Collin County. “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 and serve as an off-site food distribution tool for the nonprofits monthly delivery and on-location services for the Evergreen Arbor Hills Senior Living Facility, a news release stated. The additional six tents, 30 traffic cones, eight carts, 10 stanchions, 12 vinyl rolling bins, three portable radios and six plastic folding tables will aid in various operational uses.
“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.”
A second grant, the NTFB Hope for Tomorrow Grant, will allow The Storehouses’ Academy program to expand its neighbor language, job and life skills training initiatives.
“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 Ligia Urrego, director of The Academy. “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.”
The Storehouse of Collin County is a nonprofit that seeks to benefit the surrounding communities with its Seven Loaves Food Pantry, Joseph’s Coat Clothing Closet, Project Hope Neighbor Care and The Academy Education Program initiatives.
