The following press release was provided by the South Texas Food Bank.
The South Texas Food Bank is urgently calling on the community to support ongoing flood relief efforts as widespread flooding continues to affect South Texas communities.
For the first time in the organization’s history, flooding has impacted more than half of the South Texas Food Bank’s service area, with six of the eight counties it serves currently experiencing flood-related impacts. Affected counties include Val Verde, Maverick, Kinney, Dimmit, Webb, and Zapata.
The South Texas Food Bank has already begun sending emergency food boxes, water, and cleaning supplies to communities in Val Verde, Kinney and Dimmit that were first impacted by this weather event. They are still actively coordinating relief efforts throughout the region. However, ongoing flooding, road closures, and hazardous travel conditions have created significant challenges in reaching some affected communities.
“The vast geography of our service area presents unique challenges, particularly because many of the communities impacted by flooding are rural and located far from major population centers.”
“Our Disaster Relief team is working diligently to respond to this disaster, but the scope of the flooding is unlike anything we have experienced across our service area,” said Alma Boubel, the South Texas Food Bank CEO. “We urgently need the support of our community to help ensure that families, children, and seniors affected by these floods have access to food and other essential resources.”
The South Texas Food Bank is working closely with local and state emergency management officials, law enforcement agencies, Feeding America, Feeding Texas, partner food banks, and community organizations to assess needs and coordinate response efforts.
“The safety of our staff, volunteers, partner agencies, and the neighbors we serve remains our highest priority,” Boubel said. “We understand the desire to help, but we do not want anyone putting themselves at risk by traveling through flooded areas or attempting to navigate unsafe road conditions. We are relying on the guidance of emergency management and public safety officials to determine when, what and where it is safe to deploy resources.”
“This is a very critical situation, and we need to be deliberate in how we respond,” she said. “We want to ensure that we are providing the items our communities need most right now while supporting, rather than overwhelming, ongoing relief efforts.”
As relief efforts continue, the South Texas Food Bank is asking the public to assist in one of three ways:
1. Donate Non-Perishable Food
Community members may donate non-perishable food items at the South Texas Food Bank during regular business hours.
2. Volunteer
Individuals and groups interested in supporting flood relief operations are encouraged to volunteer as response efforts expand.
3. Make a Monetary Donation
Financial contributions provide the greatest flexibility and allow the South Texas Food Bank to quickly purchase and distribute needed resources.
Monetary donations may be made:
Via Cash App (fastest method): $SouthTexasFoodBank (Memo: Flood Relief – Donor’s Cell #)
In person at the South Texas Food Bank during regular business hours
By calling the Accounting Office at (956) 726-3120, Ext. 103
“Every donation, every volunteer, and every act of support helps us reach more families during this critical time,” Boubel added. “South Texans have always come together during times of need, and we are confident that our community will once again rise to the challenge.”
The South Texas Food Bank will continue to provide updates regarding flood relief efforts, food distributions, and volunteer opportunities as conditions evolve.
For more information, visit southtexasfoodbank.org/disaster or follow the South Texas Food Bank on social media.
About the South Texas Food Bank
The South Texas Food Bank serves Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Starr, Maverick, Dimmit, Kinney, and Val Verde counties. Through a network of partner agencies and direct-service programs, the Food Bank distributes millions of pounds of food annually to individuals and families facing food insecurity across South Texas.
