Food Pantry
Was founded in 1994 by some local church and community members to help centralize the donation and distribution of food to those in need with the goal to reduce the hunger. The pantry has had several leaders throughout the years and at time has struggled to continued its mission. As an all-volunteer agency led by an all-volunteer board of directors it can be exciting to see the dedication and talents of volunteers and supporters in action. For years HOPE has been here doing the best it can for those in need. Nacogdoches HOPE works as a partner agency with East Texas Food Bank. This allows HOPE to receive the wealth of knowledge and guidance which that partnership allows. But in the end, it is the community of Nacogdoches its volunteers, donors, and businesses which keep this pantry open and able to function. Helping Other People Eat is a “Healthy Food Pantry” which strives to provide nutritious food through a client-choice distribution model. Clients are welcome to visit the pantry one day a week. The pantry is open Monday and Thursday from 9-11:30 am and Tuesday from 5-7 pm. to increase access to food assistance.
Retail Food Program
Retail food pickup is one of the many ways HOPE works to reduce food waste and ensure the families we serve have access to fresh, healthy foods they need to thrive. This initiative saves time and resources by empowering agencies, like Nacogdoches HOPE, to pick up food donations directly from retailers near them. Nacogdoches HOPE’s participation in the Agency Retail Pickup program is subject to all regulations set by the program agreement and is limited and to available space and approval by the Agency Retail Pickup Coordinator. Nacogdoches HOPE is blessed to work with some wonderful retailers and their employee to make these items available to our clients and reduce the waste in our communities.
Thanks to all our Retail Food Partners: Nacogdoches Little Caesars; both (North St. and University) Nacogdoches’ Walmart, and Kroger stores; Lufkin’s HEB, Target, and Dollar General.
Produce Distribution Program
East Texas Food Bank partners with Nacogdoches HOPE to distribute free, fresh fruits and vegetables to families on a weekly basis. Produce Drop distributions are held separately from regular food pantry distributions. Produce is given out at noon on Thursdays on a drive through basis in the parking lot.
Senior Box Program
The Senior Box Program is designed to improve the health and nutrition of very low-income senior citizens. In East Texas, some seniors are forced to make tough choices between paying their utilities, buying life-saving medications or purchasing food. The goal of the Senior Box Program is to provide a free box of nutritious food to approximately 240 seniors in Nacogdoches County each month. Participation in the Senior Box Program is limited. While this program is federally funded and operated with the supervision of ETFB, the amount of volunteer time needed to keep it running is immense. HOPE appreciates those loyal volunteers which makes this service available in this area.
Other Support Services
A second part of our mission is to provide nutritional information and promote interest in and concern for those who are hungry and malnourished. Jo’s Diner – A Kitchen of HOPE and the Resource Center was started with this dream. The diner is open on some Wednesdays (see calendar) and offers a free meal to the first 50 individuals who arrive. Recipes are shared and often various educational programs are provided. There is a wellness check area and also computer stations to help with printing applications for benefits and more. Appointments can be made for benefits assistance through the HOPE Resource Center or online at https://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/programs/benefits-assistance/
The FINDHELP.org site has access to a wide variety of assistance programs based on local demographic but also provides information to larger national programs and more.
Come to Nacogdoches HOPE and apply to be a client. You can visit HOPE once a week it also allows you to visit other East Texas Food Bank Pantries, possibly in your home county. Stephen F. Austin State University has a HUB food pantry located at the Health and Wellness Center on Raguet and E. College Streets. It offers once a month online shopping for on-campus students and twice a month for off-campus residences.
Throughout the year local organizations, churches, businesses, and individuals help Nacogdoches HOPE by hosting food drives. Food drives supplement the food we purchase through East Texas Food Bank and help HOPE provide food diversity. Food drives are an easy way to unite communities and to make a difference for our neighbors facing hunger. Filling up a food drive box is a tangible way for kids—and adults—to see the impact of their efforts. The pantry welcomes donations of shelf-stable, dry grocery goods which are have not been opened or leaked. Be careful when donating things in glass containers. Due to the possibility of breakage those need to be delivered separately to the pantry in a safe way.
Please click here to read more about how you can order a Food Drive.
Nacogdoches HOPE respects the privacy of all our donors and website visitors. We handle any information you provide us with care. The only data we gather from you is that which you voluntarily provide. Nacogdoches HOPE will only request specific information from you in order to complete a transaction. We do not require that donors or website visitors provide us with personal information in order to contact us.
If you choose to provide us with personal information, we will not distribute this information to any third party. Donor information will be added to our donor database and will not be sold, traded or shared with other organizations. We may use your information to contact you in the future. If you wish to “opt-out” in the future from receiving information from the Nacogdoches HOPE (via mail or email) please send us an email with the subject line of OPT OUT.
All credit card information is taken in a secure environment.
Nacogdoches HOPE accepts donation of monies by check sent to our locked mail box. The website’s donate page provides choices. There is the PayPal Giving Fund which sends 100% of your donation in a lump monthly fund to Nacogdoches HOPE without revealing much information about the donor with the possible exception of an email, but the donor also is not able to direct the donation to a specific memorial or project at HOPE. The other online option is to use the QGiv program which East Texas Food Bank uses. It is a secure payment system designed for nonprofits. It allows the donor to choose from a variety of giving methods, to acknowledge a memorial or gift in honor, receive a receipt, set up a monthly amount, and if desired to set up their own account to handle their transactions their own way.