Proceeds from Empty Bowls will benefit the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank (WFAFB) in its Mission to feed the hungry within a 12-county radius in North Texas. The WFAFB is a private, non-profit, charitable corporation which serves as a clearinghouse for the collection, storage, and distribution of surplus food through a network of almost 150 Partner Agencies involved in feeding the needy. Founded in 1982, the WFAFB is a member of Feeding America and the Texas Food Bank Network.
The WFAFB serves Archer, Baylor, Clay, Foard, Haskell, Jack, Knox, Montague, Throckmorton, Wichita, Wilbarger, and Young counties. In this vast service area, 1 in 6 persons of all ages awakens in the morning, unsure if he or she will eat that day. To help meet that startling need in 2011, the WFAFB distributed:
- 3.2 million pounds of food to Partner Agencies, an 88% increase since 2007
- 79,913 meals to children at Kids Cafe sites
- 49,573 PowerPak 4 Kids BackPacks to area elementary and pre-teen students
- 8,510 meals to senior households through Senior Brown Bag distribution sites
Almost 39,000 different people threatened with hunger in North Texas received over 6.5 million meals during 2010. This accounts for 3,100 people per week who receive emergency food assistance through the WFAFB. This figure does not include people receiving meals or snacks through senior centers, day care facilities, or after-school programs.
The WFAFB continuously explores new and unique ways to obtain more food for distribution but is grateful to a responsive community and the many individuals and organizations who keep its Mission alive. Through your monetary support, the WFAFB can provide enough food for 5 meals with each $1 contribution.