By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
Helping the community and promoting agriculture is part of what Bailey County Farm Bureau takes pride in doing. When the county organization learned of the opportunity to increase donations to local food-relief entities through the Texas Farm Bureau Feeding Texas Co-op Contribution Program, the leaders immediately knew what they wanted to do.
“We decided to split up our donations between three organizations,” Bailey CFB President Kem Bales said. “We looked at places in Muleshoe we thought could use some help and took the opportunity of the matching grant to divide that up and do even more good.”
The Bailey County Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry, Bailey County Oneita Wagnon Senior Center and Muleshoe Meals on Wheels received $750 each from the county organization.
“There are numerous families in the county relying on those services,” Bales said. “We’re proud to be able to help them feed our citizens and lend a hand in these trying times.”
At the senior citizens’ center, Bales said they’re working with Meals on Wheels to feed as many as 150 people each day.
At the beginning of the pandemic when stay-at-home orders were in effect, meals were either to-go or by delivery only. Those restrictions have since been lifted, and the dining room is open again to senior citizens.
The food pantry, which is a collaborative effort between multiple churches in Muleshoe, serves several families each week.
About 9.5 percent of the population in Bailey County are food insecure, meaning they may have lack of access, at times, to enough food for all household members. Bales noted the pandemic has likely exacerbated those numbers due to lost jobs and the impacts on the local economy.
“The additional assistance from the state level really helped us make a bigger impact through our donations,” Bales said. “We’re very thankful that Texas Farm Bureau is helping people around the state in this time of need.”
The Farm Bureau Feeding Texas Co-Op Contribution Program was established in May to assist those who are in need of food, as well as those who provide that food, in an effort to keep their businesses alive in these unprecedented times. The program, established by Texas Farm Bureau, connects food banks and other food-relief entities with local restaurants and caterers to help the local community.
For more information about the Feeding Texas program, contact your county Farm Bureau office. Click here to find a county office near you.