FORT BEND COUNTY – On Saturday, several organizers and hundreds of volunteers provided food for thousands of families in the Houston area.
The event was held at George Bush High School in Richmond, and the goal was to reduce food insecurities across our region.
Founder of Families Helping Families, Quincy Collins, started the event last year.
“This year, with the help of corporate sponsors we were able to provide 3,000 families with a week’s worth of groceries and Thanksgiving dinner,” Collins said.
Food prices at the grocery store have increased during the pandemic, making it hard for some to feed their families. The demand and labor shortages have also added extra costs to the food supply chain.
“This is going to help me a whole lot,” one family said.
KPRC spoke to a family support specialist at Lamar CISD who says the need is greater than last year.
“It’s really been tough. All the teachers are melting,” Jill said. “The kids are melting, and the families are just struggling. It’s difficult this year. We have over 500 homeless children in our school district.”
But organizations like Families Helping Families are supporting those in need by providing food for families.
This year, The CMA CGM Group, a world leader in transportation and logistics, and its subsidiary CEVA Logistics donated 3,000 turkeys.
“There is a lot of unfortunate people in the world today, and we are very fortunate and able to give back,” said CEVA’s Logistics President & Managing Director Shawn Stewart. “That’s the heartbeat of our group CMA CGM. And, when we are able to do [it], it’s absolutely important.”
Hundreds of volunteers spent the day preparing food boxes and placing them in people’s cars. Volunteer Martin Brewer says he enjoyed giving back.
“It’s been pretty good. It’s been a little fast, a little slow but it’s been good though,” Brewer said.
Collins adds this event wouldn’t be possible without several sponsors and CEVA Logistics. He says it’s a blessing to give back.
“To see the smiles on the families’ faces, to know they are going to have groceries, and it’s something they don’t have to worry about,” he said.
Collins says he is already looking forward to next year’s event.
“Stuff like this, it helps [put] everybody at ease [and] have something to look forward to during the holidays,” one family member said.