FORT WORTH, Texas — It’s the weekly delivery that has become a lifeline for Fort Worth resident Erica Mack. For the first time, Tarrant Area Food Bank has soft-launched a meal delivery pilot program.
“This has kept me going for months on end,” Mack said.
The program, which provides free, home-delivered meals to those who are homebound or disabled, comes during a time in which food insecurity is growing, according to Tarrant Area Food Bank President and CEO Julie Butner.
"It’s the highest it has been even during the height of the pandemic,” Butner told WFAA. “Why is that? Inflation. Food costs have gone up 13% year over year.”
It helps the homebound and disabled who are struggling to afford groceries in Tarrant County and rural areas like Parker County.
Mack, who is 24 years old, told WFAA she fell on hard times when she lost her job due to a disability. Pretty soon, she had to choose between buying groceries or paying bills. Mack lost her car and found herself unable to access groceries.
“Everything did happen really fast for me,” Mack said.
Her grandmother, who is also a client of TAFB’s home delivery program, encouraged her to apply for help.
TAFB’s home delivery program, which soft-launched with only 20 clients, now serves more than 500 individuals who are homebound or disabled.
“We just wanna be able to provide the service for people who need the service," Butner said.
Butner said the program is helping individuals who may not qualify for other food assistance programs, such as Meals on Wheels. TAFB will begin catering each box of food to the client's medical needs.
You can apply for TAFB's home delivery program here.