Franklin Food Pantry fights summer hunger
FRANKLIN, Texas (KBTX) -More than 150 families rely on the Franklin Food Pantry each month to put food on the table.
Since 1996, the pantry has been working endlessly to supply necessities for less fortunate families in the community. Food, toilet paper, and cooking supplies are just some of the items the pantry provides.
With summer in full swing, the need for these items had grown dramatically due to the increase of kids staying at home.
“The children in school get a breakfast and a lunch when they’re at school, but in the summer months, that’s no longer provided,” Robertson County Care Inc. board member, Beth Vickers said. “So it becomes a real problem for families to be able to provide for their children.”
The growing need for food inspired the Franklin Food Pantry to create “Schools out for the summer” bags that families can pick up each week for their children.
“Families can come in once a month to get their distribution of food, but this is different,” board member Robyn McMillian said. “They can come in every week to pick up a bag per child.”
The bags are full of nutritious snacks that kids can prepare if they are home alone or hungry. The Pantry hopes the bags will help combat hunger this summer and give families a sense of food security.
Vickers says about 80 bags are made each week to ensure every child that comes to the pantry is taken care of.
Donations are desperately needed to fill the bags and the shelves at the food pantry. Peanut butter, crackers, and Ramen are just a few of the items that people can donate to fill the bags. Food donations are accepted at various locations around Franklin as well as monetary donations.
“Every little bit helps and whatever you feel to provide, we will be very grateful to receive,” Vickers said.
