Mission, Texas – The Texas International Produce Association(TIPA) teamed up with North Texas Food Bank of Plano, Texas to make a 15,403lb fresh produce donation at the conclusion of the Viva Fresh Produce Expo on April 23, 2022. These fresh fruits and vegetables will provide roughly 12,800 meals for North Texas families in need.
The donation is made possible thanks to the 200 companies that exhibited a wide array of fresh produce at the Viva Fresh Expo. The donation will provide fresh produce for food pantries and meal programs throughout North Texas.
The North Texas Food Bank served more than 125 million meals in 2021 and provides food assistance to families, children, seniors, disaster relief through support of a feeding network of more than 400 food pantries and organizations across North Texas.
Dante Galeazzi, CEO of Texas International Fresh Produce Association remarked, “We grow, import and ship healthy produce from Texas to all over North America, yet nearly one million individuals in North Texas alone face hunger and food insecurity and that number grows as you move further around the state.” Galeazzi continued, “Our organization and our industry members work with food banks not only in Texas, but around the U.S. to provide invaluable access to fresh produce that provides hunger relief back with natural nutrition, vitamins and flavor.”
Today, more than 800,000 North Texans are unsure of where their next meal will come from and this includes 300,000 children, giving the North Texas Food Bank service area the fourth highest level of food-insecure children in the country.
“The North Texas Food Bank is proud to be a dedicated provider of food for those in need and this fresh produce donation is a welcome gift that allows us to offer an incredible assortment of fruits and vegetables to hungry neighbors,” said Reid Ainsworth, director of food sourcing for the North Texas Food Bank. “Our mission to close the hunger gap in North Texas by providing access to nutritious food continues to be an exciting possibility thanks to the generosity of organizations like the Texas International Produce Association and their members.”
About the Viva Fresh Produce Expo
The Viva Fresh Produce Expo was established in 2015 by the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) in order to create meaningful networking and educational opportunities for its members while shining a light on the importance of the Rio Grande Valley as an emerging trade corridor and production zone for healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables available all year long. For more information, please visit www.vivafreshexpo.com.
About the Texas International Produce Association
Founded in 1942, the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) promotes, advocates, educates and represents the nearly $10 billion in fresh produce that is either grown in the state or calls Texas the first point of US-arrival for North American distribution. For more information about TIPA, visit www.texipa.org or call 956-581-8632.
About the North Texas Food Bank:
The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked non-profit hunger-relief organization that sources, packages and distributes food through a network of more than 200 Partner Agencies across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also provides food to children, seniors and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries. In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to more than 125 million nutritious meals, a 64% percent increase since the pandemic. In response to the ongoing elevated hunger crisis, the organization has launched a $500 million campaign, Nourish North Texas, to provide more food for today and hope for tomorrow by addressing the root causes of food insecurity. The North Texas Food Bank is designated a 4-Star Exceptional organization by Charity Navigator based on its governance, integrity and financial stability. NTFB is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization.
