Tyler High and Tyler Legacy are coming together again this year before their big football rivalry to raise funds and food to support the East Texas Food Bank’s BackPack program as part of the 35th 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 1.9 million meals.
“Child hunger is a concern in our region. According to new Feeding America Map the Meal Gap statistics, 1 in 4 East Texas children are food insecure,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Many student’s families depend on the ETFB BackPack program to help fill the weekend hunger gap, so we greatly appreciate the students for keeping this event going for 35 years!”
Last year students raised funds and food to provide 117,243 meals. Tyler High and Tyler Legacy students will collect food and funds over the next several weeks. Monetary donations will support ETFB’s programs that serve Tyler ISD students, such as the BackPack Program. More than 8,800 East Texas children receive BackPacks every weekend filled with nutritious, kid-friendly food.
“This is a tradition our students look forward to every year,” said Jennifer Hines, Tyler ISD Chief Communications Officer. “Their involvement makes a real difference for classmates and families who rely on the BackPack program for weekend meals. Each campus brings its own creativity to the effort, engaging students and families while reinforcing the importance of service and community support.”
The results are announced at halftime during the two Tyler school’s annual football game on Friday, September 5, at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. Donations can be made at www.tylerpantryraid.com
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 34 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 more information, visit EastTexasFoodBank.org.
For more information, contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@TylerISD.org.