'Food Insecurity' Is A Growing Problem In Collin County
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COLLIN COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) — Collin County is fast growing and affluent. It is the second wealthiest county in the state, but problems like poverty and hunger are growing there, too.
"It only takes one crisis," says Helen. "I didn't think I would ever have to come to something like this."
Helen has a job, a husband and two kids. She also has a wallet stuffed with $17,000 in medical bills. When they don't earn enough to make ends meet, she stretches the family budget with help from Minnie's Food Pantry in Plano.
"It was small at the beginning," says founder Cheryl "Action" Jackson. "We were feeding 10-15 families a day and we thought that was awesome! Now, when you get to 100-150 families a day, we need help and that's what's happening now. We need help."
Today, families at Huffman and Matthews elementary schools in Plano dropped off donated turkeys during car line to the North Texas Food Bank help meet the growing need.
The turkeys will eventually be distributed to hungry neighbors and fellow Plano ISD students.
"This is a community that, if they know, they'll respond," says Jackson. "And so, I've been on a mission to be a loud voice to say: it's happening here!"
According to the North Texas Food Bank, 20% of children in Collin County are considered 'food insecure.'
More than 7,000 Plano elementary students are eligible for free and reduced lunch. Still, many are shocked to learn that 'big city' problems plague the suburbs as well.
"It's in every community, all across America," says Helen. "People are hurting in Plano."
Jackson says she's already received more than 2400 requests for Thanksgiving meals, of those, 544 are coming from families with kids in Plano schools.
She says a $30 donation will provide a turkey and a box full of food including potatoes, vegetables and all of the Thanksgiving fixings.
"I thought I would pitch in," says Mahnaz Sadre. Sadre no longer lives in Plano. But, she heard about the turkey drive and dropped off her donation at Minnie's. She agrees that hunger often hides in plain sight.
"There are people who are aware and who know," says Sadre, "and there are people who don't want to know. Today, it makes me feel good that I did my part." And her North Texas neighbors are grateful.
"You're going to go home with a sense of 'wow', these people care about me," says Helen. "They know that there's people like me in Plano that don't quite know where to go when we can't make ends meet."
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