If you are in need of food, then this post is for you. Below we’ve featured 10 top food banks in Harris County for your review!
1. Heights Interfaith Ministries Food Pantry
The Heights Interfaith Ministries (HIM) Food Pantry opened in summer 2009 the Woodland Heights area of Houston to help Houston families affected by food insecurity. Eligible participants can choose their own food and provisions from the market-style pantry, which includes fresh meats, eggs, produce, and dairy along with canned and dried foods. The pantry also stocks special provisions such as toiletries, baby items, and ready-to-eat food for those that need them.
Although about 80% of the food comes from the Houston Food Bank, the HIM food pantry operates heavily on the time and effort of volunteers from the community. To help support the pantry, you can donate money or needed items. Contact them to find out more about their missions and how you can help.
2. East Spring Branch Food Pantry
The East Spring Branch Food Pantry, located in the Hedwig Village area of West Houston, is open over lunch four days a week to support those living in the West Houston area. Throughout a six-month period, eligible households can receive prepackaged food bags (between 2 and 5 bags, depending on household size) up to nine times.
Since the East Spring Branch Food Pantry is entirely volunteer run and supported, they are always looking for volunteers and donations of both money and food. If you need any more information or want to know more about their missions, contact East Spring Branch Food Pantry here.
3. Houston’s First Baptist Church Food Pantry & Clothing Closet
Also in the Spring Branch area of Houston is Houston’s First Baptist Church, which runs a food pantry and clothing closet for local individuals and families in need. The pantry is open four days a week over lunch but by appointment only.
Because of the great need for support in the Harris County area, Houston’s First Baptist Church has a food pantry in both the Spring Branch and Westchase areas of Houston. Because of this, they are always in need of monetary donations, as well as food donations, which can be dropped off at the pantry during open hours or the Missions & Connections Center. They also need volunteers to help organize and distribute food to visitors coming to the pantry. Contact them using the contact button at the bottom of their webpage to find out more.
4. Clear Lake Food Pantry
In the Clear Lake City area of Houston, Clear Lake Food Pantry provides pre-prepared food bags to eligible families. The pantry is run by The Vineyard Church and operates out of the church twice a week on Monday and Thursday mornings.
As a church-run pantry, the Clear Lake Food Pantry is always looking for volunteers to help package and distribute food to pantry visitors; you can sign up for a spot here. Food item donations are accepted at the church during pantry open hours and Wednesday afternoons. If you’d rather donate money to help purchase items for the pantry, you can do so via PayPal. You can contact the pantry via email or their social media pages.
5. Wesley Community Center
Wesley Community Center, located on the north side of Houston, provides emergency food provisions to eligible drive-up visitors on Wednesday and Friday mornings and walk-up visitors one Saturday morning each month. Visitors must enroll ahead of time and are limited to one visit each month.
Help from the community is always welcome at the Wesley Community Center food pantry. Volunteers are needed to help package food and assist visitors, while monetary donations help to purchase needed items and keep the pantry operational. Contact them to find out more about the pantry and what you can do to help.
6. Bridging for Tomorrow
Located in northwest Houston, the food pantry at Bridging for Tomorrow is open to those experiencing poverty and are willing to participate in other programs offered by the initiative. The pantry operates twice a week as a client choice market, allowing visitors to choose their own meats, dairy, and produce as part of their distribution package.
Volunteers are always needed to help load stock the pantry and assist visitors. Although the pantry receives food from the Houston Food Bank, monetary donations help to provide those items not provided by the Houston Food Bank or other partnerships. If you’d rather donate food items, you can find out how and what they need here. If you have questions or want to know more, contact them using the phone or address information found on the bottom of their website.
7. West Houston Assistance Ministries
The West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM) food pantry, located in the Westchase area of Houston, provides pre-packaged grocery bags of food for families and individuals suffering from food insecurity. These bags include fresh produce, meats, dairy, breads, and canned foods. They even provide homeless clients with nonperishable, ready-to-eat meals. The pantry is open three days a week but allows visitors to attend only once a week.
WHAM accepts donations of money, food, and thrift store items; you can donate online or find out what items are needed and when you can drop them off here. They also eagerly accept volunteers to help run the pantry throughout the week. Contact them for other information.
8. Wholesome Food for the Hungry
Located in Tomball, TX, the Tomball Emergency Assistance Ministries (TEAM) runs a food pantry for those living in Tomball suffering from food insecurity. Each prepackaged food bag provides eligible visitors with frozen meat, canned foods, produce, and breads.
If you want to support the pantry, you can donate food and other items following the guidelines found here. To donate money, check out how here. If you’d like to volunteer, register your interest here. For any other questions, check out their FAQ page or contact them here.
9. Humble Area Assistance Ministries Food Pantry
In Humble, TX, the Humble Area Assistance Ministries (HAAM) food pantry services between 250-300 northeast Houston and east Montgomery County families each month. They provide each family with canned foods, nonperishable foods, and toiletries.
As a church-based outreach ministry, the HAAM food pantry are always looking for donations and volunteers from the local community. You can find out what and how to donate needed items here and how to donate money here. If you want to volunteer to help at the pantry, apply here. You can also contact them to find out more about the pantry or ask any questions.
10. Fair Haven Food Pantry
Since 1975, the Fair Haven Food Pantry in Houston has been providing food assistance to impacted families in the Spring Branch and Memorial areas of Houston. The pantry is currently drive-thru only four days a week but will soon reopen as an open market-style pantry, where visitors can ‘shop’ for their food items as they would a supermarket.
Donations of money or food are always accepted, as are volunteer applications of interest. You can contact them to find out more about their mission or for any other questions.
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