Tuesday, December 10, 2024
Once again, Gatesville and its surrounding communities answered the call to help feed local families and individuals in need at the 35th Food for Families drive at the Gatesville Fire Station on Friday, Nov. 22.
As of Monday, Nov. 25, Gatesville has raised a total of 481,553 pounds of food and monetary donations. This number will continue to rise after a final count is determined on Nov. 30.
“Once again, a fabulous drive, and once again I am thankful for Gatesville and the surrounding area,” Gatesville’s Care Center Co-Director Deral McWhorter said. “We have yet to count the HEB totals and what we will receive until Nov. 30.”
In 2023, Gatesville raised a total of 661,624 pounds during Food for Families. With inflation and the increase in food prices, McWhorter said food banks changed how they calculated pounds this year. The new formula calculates $1 per two pounds of food instead of two and a half pounds.
“If we were using the same formula as in all the previous years, we would be rather close to last year’s total,” McWhorter said. “So, way to go people. You continue to shine.”
The annual one-day food drive collects non-perishable food products and helps stock the shelves of area food banks and pantries beyond the holiday season. All local donations will remain at the Care Center to serve the hungry in Coryell County. What the Care Center raises during Food for Families will help support their food bank until the next food drive.
“I want to thank everyone who contributed,” Care Center Co-Director Debbie Blanchard said. “Every can, every dollar helped to get us to our total of 481,553, and we are still counting.”
For those who were not able to donate on Friday, the Care Center is accepting donations through Nov. 30.
Gatesville’s donation site received generous support from the community. Numerous local churches, schools, businesses, organizations, and community members across Coryell County donated thousands of pounds to this year’s food drive.
Many local groups showed up to help volunteer at Friday’s event, including Gatesville ISD students and the Texas Army National Guard (MATES).
“I want to also thank all of our volunteers for the time they gave,” Blanchard said. “It takes a team, and our team is a winner.”
Food For Families is the largest food drive in Central Texas with sites set up across nine counties. It is sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America, HEB Grocery Company, and KWTX News 10.
As of Friday, Nov. 22, KWTX reported that preliminary numbers show that Central Texans raised nearly 2 million pounds of food for Food for Families this year. All donations at each site serve the people in the county where it is collected.
The 2024 Gatesville Food for Families food drive was held in honor of J.B. Cooper, also known as “Deral’s right-hand man,” who committed 23 years of volunteer service to the Care Center.
