Children’s Programs Making a Positive Impact

Our food bank is actively working to address the growing need in our community, particularly through our children’s programming. Our “Ending Child Hunger” initiatives, including Operation Kid Pack, Kids Cafe, and the Kids Produce Market, all play a vital role in this e ort.

Operation Kid Pack has been successful in providing students with nutritious meals for the weekends, even when they are not in school. Children at risk of hunger are identified by their school counselor or teacher and then are provided with a five-pound bag of food and snacks that will provide nutritious food during the weekend.

Kids Cafe, in partnership with the local Boys & Girls Club, provides afterschool meals for students in need. “I like to eat here because they give us good foods, like sopa (soups) and especially macaroni! I like macaroni because it is yellow and it is soft so it doesn’t bother my loose tooth,” said Max, a seven-year-old participant in the program.

We are also very proud of our Kids Produce Market. This program o ers free produce to children and empowers them to select their own fruits and vegetables, promoting healthy eating habits and reducing childhood obesity. “We learn about good foods like fruits and vegetables,” said Arabella, a five-year-old participant in the Kids Produce Market. “It is nice that they give us free fruits to be healthy. I want to be healthy so I can be strong.” The Kids Produce Market provides a fun and engaging way for children to learn about healthy food choices and has now visited over 88 schools in the past year.

It is heartwarming to hear how much of a positive impact our programs are making on the lives of children in our community.

American Institute of Baking Facilities Rates Food Bank RGV “Superior”

The Food Bank RGV recently received a “Superior” rating from AIB, the American Institute of Baking Facilities, for our food safety practices. This prestigious recognition is only awarded to facilities that score in the top tier of AIB’s rigorous inspection process.

The inspection covers several critical categories, including operational methods and personnel practices, maintenance for food safety, cleaning practices, integrated pest management, and adequacy of prerequisite programs and food safety programs. We are proud to say that we scored exceptionally well in all these categories.

At the Food Bank RGV, we are committed to providing safe and nutritious food to our community. This “Superior” rating from AIB is a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication to ensuring the highest level of food safety and quality. We will continue to maintain this same level of commitment to food safety and quality, while we work towards ending hunger in our community.