Houston Food Bank Honors Local Heroes With Inaugural Volunteer Service Awards – May 1, 2026
Awards recognize volunteers for thousands of service hours dedicated to providing food for better lives across Southeast Texas
HOUSTON … As National Volunteer Month (April) came to an end, Houston Food Bank recently honored its most dedicated supporters with its inaugural Volunteer Service Awards. In a series of ceremonies held at the Portwall facility, the awards celebrated the individuals and groups whose commitment ensures that the organization is able to provide hunger relief across Southeast Texas.
These new awards recognize the critical role of volunteers in assisting the nation’s largest-distribution food bank. Hours were calculated from service performed during the 2025 fiscal year, representing a massive collective effort to support neighbors in need.
“Volunteers are the heart of Houston Food Bank’s mission,” says Brian Greene, president/CEO of Houston Food Bank. “These awards honor the people who transform hours of service into hope. Their dedication makes it possible for us to reach more than one million neighbors experiencing food insecurity across our 18-county service area.”
The awards were presented in Gold, Silver and Bronze tiers:
- Students: Recognized for contributing 100 to 300+ hours.
- Adults and Corporate Groups: Recognized for contributing 100 to 500+ hours.
Adding to the prestige of the awards, recipients received a custom lapel pin, a framed Certificate of Excellence, and a personal letter of congratulations from Neil Bush, Chair of the Board of Points of Light. The connection to Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – highlights the national significance of the work being done by Houstonians.
The dedication of Houston Food Bank’s volunteers helps the organization to maximize each donor dollar, ensuring that resources go directly toward nutritious food and essential services and allowing for highly efficient service to neighbors.
“Simply put, Houston Food Bank could not do its vital work without our dedicated volunteers,” adds Greene. “We thank the individuals and corporations who have stepped up to positively impact our community and inspire others to take action.”
For a full list of award recipients or to learn more about volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups, please visit https://www.houstonfoodbank.org/blog/2026-volunteer-service-awards/vsa.
About Houston Food Bank
Serving Houston and southeast Texas since 1982, Houston Food Bank’s mission is to provide food for better lives. We provide access to 143 million nutritious meals in 18 counties through our 1,600 community partners of food pantries, soup kitchens, social service providers and schools. Filling gaps on plates, we have a strong focus on healthy foods and fresh produce. In collaboration with our community, we advocate for policy change and racial equity, and promote dialogue on ways to increase access to food and to improve the lives of those in our communities, including services and connections to programs that address the root causes of hunger and are aimed at helping families achieve long-term stability: nutrition education, health management and help with securing state-funded assistance. We are a resource for individuals and families in times of hardship. Houston Food Bank works alongside our partner food banks in Montgomery County, Galveston County, Brazos Valley, and Trinity River area. Houston Food Bank is a certified member of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for the 12th consecutive year.
Website .houstonfoodbank.org/about-us/milestones/; Social media: @houstonfoodbank (Instagram and Twitter), @thehoustonfoodbank (Facebook)