Salvation Army, NTFB hold mobile food pantry for North Texans in need
DALLAS - Inflation continues to go up and so does food insecurity.
Two of the area's largest nonprofits teamed up Wednesday to host a mobile food pantry in Dallas.
They served 120 families, and that's just a fraction of the number of North Texans who are in need of help.
Greg Cassel spent his Wednesday morning sitting in a massive line that snaked around the Salvation Army's Carr P. Collins Social Service Center in Dallas.
"Times are difficult," Casell said.
He waited two hours for a chance to get free groceries.
Cassel said his social security check isn't cutting it anymore.
"Got a daughter and grandson who moved in, which puts an extremely tough situation even worse for me so that's why I'm here," he said.
And he's not alone. Everyone who was in the line had a personal story of struggle.
Aida Guzman said this is the first time she's sought out assistance from a food pantry.
Her mother-in-law and 3-year-old son went with her.
Guzman said the family of six can no longer afford the basics, without help.
"With rising cost of food, gas, housing, and utilities, neighbors are having to face difficult choices," said Ann Readhimer, VP of community impact the North Texas Food Bank.
According to the Salvation Army, the number of first-time food pantry clients across its nine North Texas locations increased by 26% this year between January and July.
"North Texans experiencing poverty are living in survival mode," said Major Paul McFarland, who is is the area commander of the Salvation Army of North Texas.
With a grant from the North Texas Food Bank, his organization was able to purchase a new distribution truck.
"It has allowed us to increase our food pick-ups and food deliveries to our food pantries across North Texas," McFarland said.
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Their generosity will make for a big donation to feed struggling families instead of them receiving a cash refund.
"The situation is too hard right now. No too much jobs, plus everything is too high, too expensive, the food, everything," Cesario Cabrera said.
Cabrera is a mechanic and the sole provider for wife and mom.
It's not his first time here, and he said, with the way the economy is going, sadly, it won't be his last.
"Sometimes it's here, sometimes in other places," he said.
In the 75235 zip code, where the Carr P. Collins Social Service Center is located, the food insecurity rate is a high 17.90%, according to Feeding America data.
Each week, the Salvation Army provides food assistance to more than 10,000 people across North Texas.