Houston Food Bank is a resource for individuals and families in times of hardship, providing more than 120 million nutritious meals annually. Hundreds of thousands of people count on the organization and its 1,600 partners, and in turn, Houston Food Bank relies on the generosity of its many donors and supporters, from individuals to foundations to companies. Among its top donors for fiscal year 2023 are Pro Citrus Network and the Houston Walmart Distribution Center.
“Feeding others is one of the most universal expressions of human care,” says Brian Greene, president/CEO of Houston Food Bank, “and we are fortunate to have corporate donors whose support allows us to provide food for better lives to our neighbors in 18 counties in southeast Texas.” says Greene. “We are extremely grateful for the continued support of our donors, most especially to the top donors of 2023, who helped us to not only fill pantries but to fill lives of the more than one million people in our coverage area who experience the struggle of food insecurity on any given day.” In FY’23 (July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023), Pro Citrus Network donated an amazing 2,997,941 lbs. of fresh citrus to the Houston Food Bank. The Walmart Distribution Center donated 2,991,302 pounds of food to the Houston Food Bank, including fresh produce and packaged food items, which provided 2,492,752 meals to children and families in Houston Food Bank’s service area.
“Pro Citrus Network has been contributing fresh citrus and other produce to Houston Food Bank for a good part of the last 15 years. Once we opened our cold storage facility and sister company Foremost Fresh Direct in 2020, that really helped Pro Citrus Network grow our capacity and efficiencies to supply even more nutritious fresh produce to Houston Food Bank’s clients,” says Kimberly Flores, VP Business Development and Marketing at Pro Citrus Network. “We are so grateful for our relationship with Houston Food Bank and appreciate all they do to serve the Houston and Texas communities. It’s an honor to play a small part in that.”
For their part, “Walmart has a longstanding commitment to helping fight food insecurity. We partner with Feeding America member food banks, including the Houston Food Bank, to continue this fight in our local communities,” said Shannon Barrett, Walmart DC 7010 General Manager. “The Houston Food Bank serves on the frontlines in a tangible way, providing needed fresh produce and food to families in need. We stand with them to help Texans live better through expanding access to healthy food.”
In addition to year-round giving, Walmart runs its annual Fight Hunger. Spark Change. donation campaign. Nationally, Walmart has donated over $186 million through the campaign, in addition to donating 8 billion pounds of food. In 2023, the Houston Food Bank received $370,340 from the campaign, which created 1,111,020 meals. This year’s campaign is set to begin on April 1 and will continue until April 29. Feeding America and Walmart are looking forward to continuing to work together to take care of local communities and fight food insecurity.
According to Feeding Texas and Houston Food Bank, one in eight Texans experience food insecurity, and around one million individuals in southeast Texas lack consistent access to nutritious food to fuel a regularly healthy lifestyle. Serving Houston and southeast Texas since 1982, Houston Food Bank’s mission is to provide food for better lives. We provide access to 120 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. Houston Food Bank works alongside our partner food banks in Montgomery County, Galveston County and Brazos Valley. 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 13th consecutive year.
About Pro Citrus Network
Pro Citrus Network, headquartered in Visalia, California, was founded in 2004 by industry veterans Allan Dodge, Jacquie Ediger, and Hector Gonzalez. Their domestic and international family of growers, experienced sales and marketing staff, knowledge of the entire citrus supply chain, and ability to supply the right citrus at the right time ensures that customers’ citrus needs are met year-round. They specialize in providing high-quality, fresh citrus to the retail and foodservice markets throughout North America as well as other countries around the globe, and strive to be the “go to company” in the fresh citrus category 365 days a year. www.pcnbrand.com
About Walmart in Texas
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere. In Texas, we serve customers at nearly 600 retail locations and online through Walmart Online Grocery, Walmart.com, and our family of brands. We are proud to employ more than 177,000 associates in Texas. Walmart supports local businesses, spending $90.3 billion with Texas suppliers in FYE 2023 and supporting more than 255,000 Texas supplier jobs. Walmart continues to be a leader in employment opportunity, sustainability, and corporate philanthropy. Last year, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed approximately $142.5 million in cash and in-kind donations to local nonprofits in Texas. Learn more at corporate.walmart.com, and our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest channels.
“Houston Food Bank is extremely grateful for the continued support of our donors, who help us to not only fill pantries but to fill lives of the more than one million people in our coverage area who experience the struggle of food insecurity on any given day.”