By Jennifer Whitlock
Field Editor
Brazos County Farm Bureau (CFB) recently gave back to the community in a big way, with donations going to three local charity organizations that provide food assistance and other forms of aid to Brazos County residents in need.
These donations wouldn’t have been possible without a “Helping Hand” from Texas Farm Bureau (TFB), according to Michael Noak, Brazos CFB president.
“We actually made the donation to the Brazos Valley Food Bank the same day I received the announcement about Helping Hands,” Noak said. “So, we jumped on the opportunity to help those other two organizations, thanks to the matching state contributions from Texas Farm Bureau.”
The TFB Helping Hands co-op contribution program was created after Winter Storm Uri to help Texans trying to recover. Through the program, TFB will provide a 2-to-1 match for county Farm Bureau contributions up to $750 for any qualified donation.
Brazos CFB made a $1,000 donation to Brazos Valley Food Bank, which offers food distributions to six counties surrounding Bryan-College Station. About 15 percent of area residents experience food insecurity, according to data from Feeding America.
The 12th Can, a student-run food pantry at Texas A&M University designed to serve students, staff and faculty in need of food assistance, received $500 from Brazos CFB. The pantry served 1,724 clients in 2020 and 209 individuals in February alone.
Noak noted the influx of clients last month at the 12th Can showed the increased need in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and February’s winter storm.
“We have a new board member that attends A&M, and she’s the one who made us aware of the 12th Can,” he said. “We didn’t realize there were so many college students who were struggling with food insecurity. Sometimes they just have a temporary need or sometimes it may be longer-term, but this is available right on campus to help them.”
The third donation from Brazos CFB in the amount of $750 went to Twin City Mission, which provides shelter, food and other assistance for the homeless, people experiencing domestic violence and children and families in need of other care.
The donation will go toward gift cards to grocery stores that will be distributed through the mission’s Youth & Family Services division.
“When we were deciding where to donate, we were trying to think of food as a first priority. We’ve always been regular donors to the Brazos Valley Food Bank, and they were especially in need this year with a very low food inventory after COVID-19,” Noak said. “TFB’s Helping Hands is just a wonderful program. We are fortunate here in Brazos County to be able to give back, and this program from TFB helps make our county funds go further to help folks. And that’s one of the main reasons we’re here—to make a difference in our community.”
The TFB Helping Hands program will be in effect for expenditures incurred from Feb. 15 through April 30, or until budgeted funds are exhausted. Entities that provide food and shelter or meet other basic needs should be a priority, as well as other non-profits that were affected by the recent historic weather event.
Click here for more information on the program.