CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Organizations across the Coastal Bend are making food and other grocery staples available to vulnerable populations while we get through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many asked KRIS 6 News about how people in the area without transportation, or those who are not fit to leave home, could take part in these events. We found groups helping these Coastal Bend residents in need, and the best part, it's all free.
The Rural Economic Assistance League (REAL) in Alice provides numerous services to seniors in 12 counties.
"We help with home-health, we help with the daycare, we help with transit, and right now, we help with the food distribution," said REAL's Fahra Fuentes.
The group has held a handful of food distributions to residents in need, and it also will deliver food to residents who can't make it to the drive-through distributions.
"You know a lot of people are unemployed, they don’t have a lot of food sources," she said. "So we’re trying to help out and reach out to people."
Each resident will receive a box, or bag, of fresh food, and a bag with hurricane preparedness information.
REAL delivers to anyone in its 12-county area; all you have to do is call (361) 668-3158 to receive assistance. The group will hold its next public food distribution Thursday, June 25, at its office at 301 Lucero in Alice.
The Coastal Bend Food Bank also delivers to seniors and veterans who cannot make it to the food distributions.
This delivery system is called the 'Senior Food Box Program.'
"You’re gonna get three things," said Development Coordinator Robert Morales. "The first thing they’re going to get is a box that has shelf staple-items. In addition to that, they’re going to get a bread item, and finally they’re going to get a produce bag."
Morales said the process is simple: If someone needs assistance with food delivery, they can call the Coastal Bend Food Bank at (361) 887-6291, or visit their website.
He said seniors can receive the food when they call, or have a box of food delivered once a month. Since mid-March, the food bank has already delivered over 2,000 boxes.
Packing boxes for various food distributions a week requires a lot of help, and the Coastal Bend Food Bank is in need of volunteers to help pack, distribute and deliver food to residents throughout the Coastal Bend.
You can check the Coastal Bend Food Bank's Facebook page for the next public food distribution.