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SUNDAY'S CHILD
Sunday's Child "Christopher" 2/7/10
Just in time for the Winter Olympics, CBS 7’s Tatum Hubbard hit the ice with a very athletic 15-year-old for a little "speed skating."
Just in time for the Winter Olympics, CBS 7’s Tatum Hubbard hit the ice with a very athletic 15-year-old for a little "speed skating."
West Texas Food Needs Reach High 11/25/09
CBS 7 News
November 25, 2009
Odessa, Texas - We're all gearing up for thanksgiving tomorrow, and while many families are preparing big feasts some are finding their meal will come in a box. The recession has hit many families and the West Texas Food Bank and food agencies are doing their best to make sure people don't go hungry.
Thanksgiving truly does take on a deeper meaning when complete strangers are helping to fill your pantry with a holiday meal. I spent my day with the West Texas Food Bank and the Andrews Food Pantry where these volunteers were hustling to pack, load and ship food, trying to keep up with an astonishing demand.
"Food banks are one of the main sources in getting food out to those that are hungry." Explained Executive Director for the West Texas Food Bank, Hyta Folsom.
And the West Texas Food Bank in Odessa is trying to do just that for this Thanksgiving.
"We're including a turkey, we're including some baking goods, we're including some canned goods and your pastas and rice," said Folsom.
Their day starts early, especially when it comes to delivering all this Thanksgiving food. The food bank supplies over 180 agencies in 22 counties, and it's not an easy task, especially when the demand is so large.
"Need has exploded this year," said Folsom.
"We have one agency that had to close because they couldn't handle the need, they served 21 in January, and it went up to 92 in August."
And the list goes on; in fact many of the agencies have reported doubling or even tripling needs since last October.
At Andrews Food Pantry, the story is no different.
"Up to recently were just lowering the amount we were able to give everybody, so we could service everybody," Food Pantry Director Maribel Hernandez said.
Thankfully everyone at the Andrews Food Pantry received a Thanksgiving meal box, but still Folsom worries about the future need.
"Our agencies are feeding more and more people everyday that they've never had to feed before."
"I’ve tried to deal with it the best I can. I just don't like to be at home and eat, knowing that somebody else can."
While more and more people are finding the need to rely on the West Texas Food Bank and Andrews Food Pantry, these charities are in need of volunteers, badly.
If you would like to volunteer or would like more information on these charities please visit there website here.
