Starbucks has given the North Texas Food Bank an additional $100,000 to support the equitable food access grant aimed at increased access to nutritious food among households with individuals who are Black, indigenous, and people of color and live in communities experiencing high food insecurity rates in North Texas.

“The North Texas Food Bank is very intentional in our efforts to reach and support communities that historically have faced greater barriers to equitable representation, access, and resources, and who are twice as likely to experience food insecurity,” Trisha Cunningham, president and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank, said in a statement. “We are so grateful to have received an additional $100,000 from Starbucks in support of the equitable food access grant to continue to help increase access to nutritious food among communities experiencing high food insecurity rates in North Texas.”

Starbucks provided an initial $100,000 investment in support of the food bank’s efforts in 2021. The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a member of the Feeding America network and is one of 16 food banks to receive this second grant from Starbucks.

NTFB said it will use this grant to build on the work it completed during the first year and will continue to engage local communities to better understand the barriers to accessing food and support new or expand existing interventions that can help overcome those obstacles.

Familiar foods to improve health and nutrition

The food bank said that a newer area of focus in equitable food access that the Starbucks grant is helping support focuses on culturally familiar foods for the diverse cultural representation across the North Texas communities.

“We know when a family goes to one of our food pantry partners, it is because they need food. But if they can access food that they are familiar with, that perhaps they recognize from their childhood and know how to make into a meal and that represents love for their family, it becomes more than food. It lets the family know they belong and boosts their chances of using that food to improve the health and nutrition of their family,” Cunningham said.

“Starbucks believes it is our role and responsibility to help support thriving, resilient and sustainable communities. In partnership with Feeding America, we are tackling hunger with a focus on equity,” Michael Kobori, vice president of social impact and chief sustainability officer at Starbucks, said in a statement. “The equitable food access grants are a unique opportunity to increase access to nutritious food for people that need it most.”

NTFB said it was identified based on the location of a Starbucks Community Store —Redbird in Dallas— that is committed to economic development and opportunity in historically under-resourced communities.

Providing millions of meals

Starbucks said that since 2016, it has helped provide more than 50 million meals to people facing hunger through its FoodShare program in partnership with Feeding America.

The North Texas Food Bank sources, packages, and distributes food through a diverse network of more than 400 feeding partners including food pantries and community organizations across 13 North Texas counties.

It also provides food to children, seniors, and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries.

In its last fiscal year, NTFB said it provided access to nearly 137 million nutritious meals, a 9% percent increase over the previous year.

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