The COURIER Texas HTX team volunteering at the Houston Food Bank.
group photo of volunteers
The COURIER HTX team recently volunteered at the Houston Food Bank. Here’s what we learned.
140 million. That’s how many meals the Houston Food Bank provides access to each year.
Recently, the COURIER HTX team wanted to contribute to providing those meals, so we put on hairnets and got to work at the Houston Food Bank, organizing and labeling food packaging bags for families in need. The team chose this organization because it’s the largest food bank in the country by distribution volume, supports over a million people across Southeast Texas every year, and plays a critical role in fighting hunger year-round.
Most of the Houston Food Bank’s work happens quietly, week after week, long after the holiday decorations come down, ensuring families have steady access to nutritious food throughout the year.
Across its 18-county service area, families rely on this organization for steady access to fresh produce, pantry staples, and prepared meals. Around 1 million people in this region are considered food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to enough nutritious food to support a healthy life. The Houston Food Bank works to meet that need by distributing food and essential items through a network of more than 1,600 community partners.
The need is ongoing. Rising food costs, unexpected emergencies, and natural disasters mean many households experience food insecurity at different points throughout the year. The Houston Food Bank has built its entire system around being ready for all of it, distributing the equivalent of more than 150 million meals annually, which translates to hundreds of millions of pounds of food moving through its doors each year.
Its massive 308,000-square-foot warehouse in East Houston acts as the center of operations. This is where thousands of pounds of donated and purchased food are sorted, packed, and shipped out to partner agencies across the region, including churches, schools, shelters, and community centers. Those partners help make sure food reaches families in urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods.
But the Houston Food Bank’s work goes beyond distributing groceries. Programs like Food for Change connect clients with nutritious food through healthcare providers and community partners, focusing on long-term stability, not just emergency relief. The Backpack Buddy program makes sure kids who rely on school meals don’t go hungry on weekends and long breaks, and targeted senior programs support older adults who may have limited mobility or income.
The COURIER Texas Houston team organizing and labeling food packing bags at the Houston Food Bank.
Volunteers play a huge role in making all of this possible. Every year, tens of thousands of people step in to sort donations, pack boxes, or help with distribution. Without that community support, the food bank simply wouldn’t be able to reach as many families as it does.
It’s one thing to hear about volunteering at the food bank, but being there to hear the passion in the staff’s voice as they guide volunteers through their tasks really puts everything into perspective.
At the beginning of the shift, a staff member put on a pop tunes playlist for volunteers to jam to while working. It’s more than just packing boxes or labeling bags; volunteering in person allowed us to see first hand how it literally takes an entire community of volunteers and staff to get these meals out to families in a strategic manner. From working the pallets with canned goods to even organizing the huge freezer full of food, it’s no easy task, but it’s definitely worth it for the greater good of the community.
And while holiday volunteering spikes in November and December, the Houston Food Bank says the help is just as important, if not more important, in the quieter months. January through October is when volunteers, donations, and food drives tend to slow down.
For anyone looking to get involved year-round, there are a few easy ways to make an impact:
Volunteer: Shifts are available nearly every day and can be booked online.
Donate: Even small monetary donations go a long way, since the food bank can purchase food in bulk.
Host a food drive: Schools, businesses, clubs, and even friend groups can organize one any time of year.
Spread the word: Sharing volunteer opportunities, donation links, and program info helps the food bank reach more people.
As Houston continues to grow, so does the need. But with consistent community support, the Houston Food Bank remains a steady, year-round resource for families, not just during the holidays but every single month of the year.
