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The Hays County Food Bank began handing out holiday meal boxes this week as a part of its 15th annual Turkeys Tackling Hunger campaign. Above, Night Hawk Frozen Foods, Inc. crew members filled all of the holiday meal boxes that went out this week to families in need during 'Boxing Day.' Photo courtesy of Hays County Food Bank. 

Hays County Food Bank begins handing out Thanksgiving meal boxes

Thursday, November 18, 2021

The Hays County Food Bank began handing out holiday meal boxes this week. 

The food bank distributes hundreds of holiday meal boxes to households who sign up to receive them. To qualify for the program, families must have had a household income at or below the 185% of the Federal Poverty Level, participate in a qualifying government assistance program (SNAP, Medicaid, National School Lunch Program, etc.) or have a temporary food emergency. 

Distributions began on Tuesday at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos followed by box handouts in Wimberley on Wednesday. The final distribution takes place on Friday at the ACC Hays Campus in Kyle. To receive a holiday meal box, families had to sign up by Nov. 5.  

“This annual tradition is in its 15th year, and the food bank could not do it without the help of this great community,” Hays County Food Bank said in a news release. “Sponsors, donors, volunteers, and advocates have helped make this another successful Turkeys Tackling Hunger season.”

Night Hawk Frozen Foods, Inc. has been the title sponsor for the campaign since 2014. The food bank said Night Hawk, a local company, has “truly thrown itself into support for this annual event.” The company funds the meal box program, and also utilizes its resources to fill and seal boxes and help store the finished product. “They are a well-oiled machine and every ‘Boxing Day’ gets more and more successful,” Hays County Food Bank said.

Little Guys Movers in San Marcos helps the campaign by lending the food bank their trucks, equipment, and several professional movers to help transport the meal boxes to the various sites where they will be handed out.

H-E-B has sponsored 333 fully loaded holiday meal boxes, complete with a frozen turkey and traditional side dishes. The food bank said H-E-B has also run their annual fall campaign, ‘Help End Hunger’ in September that helped raise funds for the food bank. 

The food bank also announced a brand new Champion sponsor this year, Gunnarson Advertising, which donated the funds to help fill 333 holiday meal boxes. Cypress Creek Church in Wimberley is an honorable sponsor for this year’s campaign. Hays County Food Bank said they are a brand new partner of the food bank, and offered their technical services to help families sign up online. Their online platform made the sign-up process more efficient and the food bank said it hopes to continue this partnership for years to come. Cypress Creek Church has also been partnering with the food bank to offer food distributions in Wimberley.

Lamar Advertising is another honorable mention sponsor. For five years, they have donated either a printed or digital billboard to help spread awareness about the food bank along the Interstate 35 corridor. The food bank is grateful for the additional marketing to help connect people who need help and people who want to help locally.

“Hays County Food Bank is grateful for all of the support shown during this annual campaign,” the food bank said. “Volunteers, donors, sponsors, food drives, fundraisers and more are bountiful this time of year, and the food bank wishes to thank each and everyone of you. When we all work together, we can accomplish great things.”

City issues proclamation for Turkeys Tackling Hunger 

Below, a proclamation recognizing the Hays County Food Bank's work through the Turkeys Tackling Hunger campaign was announced. Pictured, from left to right, Mayor Jane Hughson, HCFB Executive Director Eleanor Owen-Oshan, HCFB Board of Directors Treasurer Kathy Martinez-Prather and HCFB Community Relations Coordinator Iris Tate. Photo courtesy of Jane Hughson

San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson recently issued a proclamation recognizing the Hays County Food Bank's 15th annual Turkeys Tackling Hunger campaign. According to the proclamation, the food bank provided more than 1,400 meal boxes to families in need in 2020, including more than 700 given to those who live in the greater San Marcos area. 

“Hays County Food Bank represents a county-wide effort to provide adequate access to nutritious food to low-income households and those who find themselves in a food emergency,” the proclamation read, naming November, Turkeys Tackling Hunger Month. “The City of San Marcos wishes to demonstrate our support for the important work the Hays County Food Bank does throughout the year ensuring nobody goes hungry regardless of income level.”

San Marcos Record

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P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666