North Texas Food Bank

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The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a non-profit food bank located in Dallas, Texas.

NTFB was established in 1982 to address the issue of hunger in the North Texas region, by securing surplus unmarketable but wholesome food and grocery products for distribution to area relief agencies.

NTFB operates a 72,000 square foot warehouse, including a 3,000 square foot commercial kitchen.

NTFB provides food and grocery products to over 750 food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, community day care and senior centers, and similar organizations and programs located in the following counties: Collin, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Lamar, Navarro, and Rockwall.

NTFB provides these products through 11 programs:

Main Program — NTFB's primary focus is to gather donations of perishable and non-perishable food and grocery products from corporate donors and local food drives, and delivers them to food pantries and other relief agencies
Charitable Produce Center — provides unused produce items to the rural counties in the NTFB network
Commodities Supplemental Food Program — provides surplus USDA commodities to eligible persons in Dallas County
Community Kitchen — NTFB's commercial kitchen (completed in February 2002) cooks over 8,000 meals weekly
Food for Families — a cooperative effort between NTFB and member agencies, pre-qualified clients meet agency volunteers and NTFB at a pre-arranged location to receive pre-arranged food distribution
Food 4 Kids — provides shelf-stable meals to elementary school children who run the risk of going hungry over the weekend (these children receive free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch meals at school during the week, often the only nutritious meals the children receive)
Hunger Link Prepared Foods — collects surplus prepared foods from hotels, restaurants, and other commercial kitchens
Kid's Cafe — provides evening meals to children in after-school programs provided by member agencies
Operation Frontline — provides nutrition education and cooking classes to families, allowing them to make healthy food choices on a limited budget
Texas Second Chance — allows selected female confinees from Dawson State Prison to volunteer at the Food Bank up to four days a week
Summer Food Service — ensures that children in low-income areas receive nutritious meals during summer vacations when they do not have access to school breakfast or lunch programs

In 2007, the NTFB distributed 32 million pounds of food. Member agency pantries distributed food to more than 43,000 families, and on-site meal programs served more than 410,000 meals and snacks.

NTFB is a member of America's Second Harvest, and was recognized as their 2001 Food Bank of the Year.