Tyler High and Tyler Legacy are coming together again this year before their big football rivalry to raise meals for hungry East Texans as part of the 32nd Annual Pantry Raid.
The East Texas Food Bank and the Tyler Independent School District host the annual event. Since the pantry raid began in 1991, students have raised more than 1.5 million meals.
“This year’s event is more important than ever as so many East Texans are struggling to feed their families because of the high cost of food due to inflation,” said Dennis Cullinane, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “We are so excited that students will kick off the football season by supporting their community to help the one in six East Texans facing hunger, including one in four children.”
Last year students raised 102,257 meals. Tyler High and Tyler Legacy students will collect food and funds over the next several weeks. The results will be announced at halftime during their annual football game on Friday, September 2, at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. Donations can be made at tylerpantryraid.com
Monetary donations will support ETFB’s programs that serve Tyler ISD students, such as the BackPack Program and Kids Café. More than 8,700 East Texas children receive BackPacks every weekend filled with nutritious, kid-friendly food to help last them until Monday morning. The Kids Cafe© and Afterschool Snack Program served over 115,000 meals and over 31,000 snacks in the 2021 – 2022 school year.
“Tyler ISD is grateful to the East Texas Food Bank for its continued impact on the lives of our students and families each year,” Tyler ISD Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Hines said. “The hunger-relief services ETFB provides is a tremendous benefit to our families.”
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 27 million meals each year to 200 partner agencies and feeding programs. Our mission is to fight hunger and feed hope in East Texas. For more information, visit EastTexasfoodbank.org