In an effort to help those affected by the wildfire disaster that is still affecting many throughout the Texas and Panhandle, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) has made a truckload donation to the High Plains Food Bank (HPFB), which will be distributed throughout the region to families and individuals recovering from the destruction.
The donation was delivered to the food bank Wednesday morning, including 39,680 pounds of non-perishable food items such as canned goods, rice, peanut butter, pasta, pancake mix, syrup and more.
“We are here to donate some food that will bring some relief for those affected by the fires. We donated about 39,000 pounds of packaged and canned goods that will be distributed out by the High Plains Food Bank to help those in need,” said Chris Moncivais, stake president of the Amarillo LDS.
According to HPFB, the donation will provide as many as 33,000 meals throughout the panhandle. Zack Wilson, executive director for the food bank, said the donation will allow for the organization to help provide for those communities impacted not only with their current food needs, but also over time as they begin to rebuild.
“They have given us such a wide variety of food items that we are beginning to distribute and send to not only help them with their short-term but long-term needs for our disaster relief. For our counties affected over the past week and a half, this is a great donation. They always step up for us in so many different ways, and they’ve been a great food donor for us, but this is specifically for us to respond to the wildfire relief needs,” Wilson said.
Wilson said the donations will benefit a total of six counties throughout the panhandle affected by the wildfires, with an emphasis on Hutchinson, Roberts and Hemphill counties.
Wilson acknowledged this will be a long-term recovery process, similar to the process they are still involved in providing needs for those following the flooding and the tornado that affected the Perryton area last year.
HPFB said that over the past few weeks, the organization has seen a rise in food needs that have been met by donors including LDS, but the organization is also seeking hygiene items and monetary donations that can be used to meet later needs as they arise.
For more information or to make a donation to the food bank, visit them online at https://www.hpfb.org/ .
As of 1:30 pm Wednesday with three fires still active in the region, the Windy Deuce fire was 144,206 acres and 81% contained, the Smokehouse Creek fire was 1,059,570 acres and 44% contained and the Grape Vine Creek fire was 34,002 acres and 77% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.