Saluvida sponsors the Marfa Food Pantry

• MISSION - to combat food insecurity and promote nutritional practices in the City of Marfa, Texas
• SERVICES
  • Combating Food Insecurity - Strategically procuring and distributing nutritious food
  • Nutrition - providing workshops that teach how to prepare and serve nutritious food
• FOCUS - Food insecurity does not discriminate. We serve children, single parent households, veterans, senior citizens, and working-class families in the City of Marfa. For many of those we serve, they are often faced with tough choices to put food on their table. For some, they must choose whether to purchase medication or food each month. USDA reports that Food insecurity rates are highest for single mother households and households with incomes below poverty line.
  Among families with children, the problem is all the more dire. Food insecurity can delay brain development, cause children to fall behind in school, and culminate in behavioral issues. As of July, approximately 14 million kids weren’t getting enough to eat, according to a Brookings Institution report.
• NEEDS - When one works in food insecurity relief, one often gets the question, “Why does food insecurity exist?” or “What causes food insecurity?” If there were an easy answer to that question, the Marfa Food Pantry would not need to exist. Poverty and food insecurity can be chronic, generational, and extremely difficult to overcome. An illness, job loss, or unexpected expense can cause someone to need urgent help with food in the short term but could also cause them to fall behind for a longer period.
  For many of those we serve, they are often faced with tough choices to put food on their table. For some, they must choose whether to purchase medication or food each month. USDA reports that Food insecurity rates are highest for single mother households and households with incomes below poverty line.
• HISTORY - When the Marfa Food Pantry (then known as the Food Bank) opened its doors in 1998, it was housed in the meeting hall of the Catholic Church and administered by Genevieve with help from volunteers. Not long after, the Food Pantry moved from the Church to another building in what is presently the Thrift Shop. Food purchases were financed by donations, sales of Thrift Shop items and by Genevieve herself. The last twenty years have brought increases in the number of people needing food assistance, reaching about 90 at its highest volume. Volunteers were able to meet once a month to re-package food items into two bags for each family served. Family members would line up outside the Food Pantry door until their turn, enter the Food Pantry door for check-in and to receive two bags, and then to take them to their vehicles. Volunteers assisted anyone unable to carry their two bags.
  Since the Pandemic began several things changed. The name was modified to the “Marfa Food Pantry.” The families needed more food than two bags per month, so the Pantry increased its distribution to include two large boxes of food plus produce when available, plus products from the Pantry Garden and other items twice each month. The volume of food also grew to almost double the original two bags, delivered twice per month. Families now get about four times as much food per month as they did before. The number of families served has reached about 120 at its highest volume. The delivery method has also changed to address the masking and the social distancing requirements of the Pandemic. First, the family members no longer line up closely as before. Second, they are required to wear masks and to stay inside their car. Third, volunteers wearing masks deliver right to each vehicle. Disinfectant is utilized as needed.
• DISCRIMINATION - The Marfa Food Pantry prohibits discrimination against its customers, administrators, and volunteers on the bases of race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, unfavorable discharge from the military or status as a protected veteran; marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted.
• FUNDRAISING - It is so heart-warming to get generous donations from citizens, businesses, and grant funding agencies. Donations are used not only for purchasing healthy food to be distributed, to educate others about how to prepare healthy meals, but also to improve our storage capacity and our delivery methods. This is especially important during the Covid 19 Pandemic. Donors may go the the Marfa Food Pantry Website and click on the "Make a Donation" buton.