By Kristi Bare
The Wilkinson Center Food Pantry is ready to Stock Up for Summer, with a goal of collecting 10 tons of food (20,000 pounds) in 10 weeks beginning May 3. While Stock Up for Summer, presented by Kroger, is an annual campaign that seeks to provide kids with healthy, nutritious food during the summer and to reduce the number of food insecure households in Dallas, the need for summer 2021 is even greater.
“Hunger, one of our city’s most urgent problems, has only grown worse because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causing so many in our community to be sick or out of work,” said Anne Reeder, executive director, Wilkinson Center. “Wilkinson Center’s Food Pantry in southeast Dallas serves more than 2,000 individuals a month. Even before the pantry opens in the morning, a line of cars stretches across the parking lot! Families have been hit hard by the crisis, and before that by low wages and high living expenses. This forces families to make extreme decisions — do I buy food or pay rent? Which meal do we skip to make the food last longer?”
The community can support the Stock Up for Summer campaign in a variety of ways:
• Host a food drive: Great for families, schools, faith-based groups, corporations, scout troops and organizations, large and small.
• Donate: A financial gift will help provide nutritious foods for kids, families and seniors. Visit this link to give — https://bit.ly/3d6647k.
• Volunteer at Wilkinson Center’s Food Pantry: Tasks may include stocking shelves, packing and distributing food boxes. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/ServePantry.
Stock Up for Summer is managed through Wilkinson Center’s Food Pantry, located in southeast Dallas, and supports its Food and Emergency Services program. For more information visit thewilkinsoncenter.org/stockup/ or contact Bob Munro at [email protected] or by calling 972-284-0301.
Wilkinson Center is just that — a center, a starting point for pathways that lead to better things. Since 1982, the Center has helped transform the lives of Dallas families in crisis by setting them on their paths. Whether that leads to employment, or to putting food on the table every day, Wilkinson Center’s Food Pantry gives them the brightest green light they’ve ever seen, signaling the beginning of their journey to self-sufficiency.
The Center’s formula for success is case management, a compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers and effective, individualized programming that provides food, adult education and jobs. They believe that everyone deserves a little hope and encouragement, especially in times of adversity. For more information, visit wilkinsoncenter.org.