What started as a friendly competition ended as a powerful act of community service when Tyler High and Tyler Legacy students revealed the results of the 36th Annual Pantry Raid at tonight’s Tyler ISD Rose City Rivalry football game. Together, the schools collected 20,000 pounds of food and $17,906.00 for the East Texas Food Bank, reinforcing that the biggest win of the night wasn’t on the scoreboard; it was in the fight against hunger.
The friendly competition, supported by feeder schools and the broader community, saw students from both campuses work tirelessly over the past few weeks to collect food and funds. Their efforts will directly benefit the East Texas Food Bank (ETFB) and its programs, including the BackPack Program, which provides 7,500 East Texas children with nutritious food every weekend.
Since its beginning in 1991, the Pantry Raid has inspired students to raise more than 2 million meals. This year’s total of 105,000 follows last year’s impressive collection of 137,619 meals, continuing the event’s longstanding impact.
“Each year, our students remind us that the Rose City Rivalry is about more than competition,” said Jennifer Hines, Tyler ISD Chief Communications Officer. “The Pantry Raid reflects their generosity, leadership, and shared commitment to helping families across East Texas. We are grateful to every student, staff member, family, and community partner who contributed.”
The contributions from this event will support ETFB’s mission to fight hunger and feed hope across 26 counties in East Texas. The funds raised will be channeled into essential programs that ensure children and families have access to nutritious food.
About the East Texas Food Bank
Established in 1988, the East Texas Food Bank is the largest hunger relief nonprofit in East Texas, covering 26 counties. ETFB provides over 30 million meals each year to over 200 partner agencies and feeding programs. Our mission is to fight hunger and feed hope in East Texas.
For additional information, please contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@TylerISD.org.