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Long lines of people waiting in their cars to receive food are some of the most indelible images of the COVID-19 pandemic. Images like that aren’t front and center in the news anymore, so it’s easy to assume that the privation has abated along with the disease.
But hunger has grown sharply in our area since inflation hit in March last year, and the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) has been distributing 15% more food ever since. It’s now supplying 12 million-plus meals every month, a 42% jump over 2019. “The face of hunger in North Texas is changing,” says NTFB president and CEO Trisha Cunningham. “We’re seeing more middle-class families who have never had charitable assistance looking for help.”
The agency’s 13-county region has nearly 700,000 food-insecure residents, the fourth highest among all Feeding America service areas and the fourth highest for children. Nearly half of the hungry live in Dallas County. Given rising rents and a 14% jump in food prices in Dallas-Fort Worth — the second highest nationwide after Detroit — working people and seniors who had been scraping by can no longer make ends meet.
There’s a widespread misconception that most food pantry patrons are unhoused, but that demographic accounts for only 5%, Cunningham notes. “The majority of our clients are working poor who maybe have two or three jobs and senior citizens on a fixed income,” she says.
The Perot family and their Hillwood company are foundational supporters of the NTFB, and they urge other businesses and individuals to join in this critical mission. “For those looking for a worthy cause to support, I don’t think you have to look very far beyond the fact that 1 out of every 5 kids in North Texas is being affected by food insecurity,” says Hillwood executive vice president Joe Bass. “Many are going to school hungry. It’s up to all of us to close the hunger gap in North Texas.”
Businesses are crucial donors of funds, food, volunteers and expertise. “There is no way we or any nonprofit can do what we do without the support of business,” Cunningham says. “It takes investment plus involvement to make an impact.”
Hillwood, a Dallas-based multinational real estate development company, has supported the food bank in myriad ways, including providing free development management services for the NTFB’s big distribution center in Plano, which opened in 2018, as well as helping to significantly reduce the cost of its construction.
“We have frequently found we could offer specialized assistance due to our expertise, whether that was for construction services, cold storage and even project management,” Bass points out. “When we can utilize these distinctive skills to support charitable endeavors like the food bank, the entire team becomes excited and eager to contribute.”
It also provides an excellent opportunity for a business to engage with its community, unite its team behind a meaningful cause and extend a helping hand to meet an urgent need. “The food bank serves as a crucial lifeline for individuals and families facing challenging circumstances and struggling to put food on their tables,” Bass says. “By partnering with the food bank, we have the power to make a tangible difference in the lives of people who may include our former employees, neighbors, or even individuals we never anticipated would face such hardships. It reminds us that any one of us could encounter adversity at any given moment, and the support we provide could serve as a turning point in someone’s life.”
The firm has developed innovative ways to support the cause. For instance, Harvest by Hillwood Communities in Argyle/Northlake has a farm and community garden plots and annually gives anywhere from 6,000-10,000 pounds of fresh organic produce to the local food bank. Opened in 2013, the award-winning master-planned community has also provided nearly 300,000 meals by hosting quarterly fundraisers and regular food drives for NTFB, says Harvest lifestyle manager Page Austin.
“We want to raise up the next generation of philanthropists,” Austin says. “We want them to care about their neighbors, and we want them to care about people. That spirit of giving is embedded all throughout Hillwood and the culture of giving back.”
It was H. Ross Perot Jr.’s grandmother, Lulu May Perot, who made hunger a priority for the family. During the Great Depression, she provided food to the men who were hopping trains through Texarkana in search of work and a better life. They placed an “X” made out of charcoal on the curb in front of the Perot family home, which was a symbol indicating that hungry people would be fed there.
The Perot family has been a key supporter of the NTFB since its inception in 1982. The big facility in Plano is named for the Perot family in recognition of a $12 million gift; in addition, the family gave $10 million last year to fund a permanent endowment, plus $500,000 for immediate use.
“They understand it’s the most basic of needs,” Cunningham says. “I don’t think this organization — not only from the time that I’ve been here but throughout its history — would have had the impact on the community that [it’s had] without the support of the Perot family and Hillwood.”
“Corporations are in a unique position to support hunger relief and food assistance efforts in our region by encouraging a culture of service and community in their workplaces,” says Anurag Jain, who served as NTFB board chair from 2018-2020 and is also the chair of Access Healthcare and managing partner of Perot Jain. “The robust corporate presence in North Texas has an opportunity to support [the NTFB] and make a significant impact.”