Alma Boubel is the South Texas Food Bank Executive Director.
Danny Zaragoza/Laredo Morning Times
The South Texas Food Bank is calling on the Laredo community to support its ongoing flood relief efforts as widespread flooding continues to affect communities across South Texas.
Courtesy photo
The South Texas Food Bank is calling on the Laredo community to support its ongoing flood relief efforts as widespread flooding continues to affect communities across South Texas.
Cuate Santos
The South Texas Food Bank is calling on the Laredo community to support its ongoing flood relief efforts as widespread flooding continues to affect communities across South Texas.
In a statement, STFB said that for the first time in the organization’s history, flooding has affected more than half of the South Texas Food Bank’s service area, with six of the eight counties it serves currently experiencing flood-related impacts.
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Affected counties include Val Verde, Maverick, Kinney, Dimmit, Webb and Zapata.
“The South Texas Food Bank has already begun sending emergency food boxes, water and cleaning supplies to communities in Val Verde, Kinney and Dimmit that were first affected by this weather event,” the statement said.
The South Texas Food Bank is continuing to coordinate relief efforts throughout the region. However, ongoing flooding, road closures and hazardous travel conditions have created significant challenges in reaching some affected communities.
The South Texas Food Bank’s service area presents unique challenges because many of the flood-affected communities are rural and located far from major population centers. The organization’s Disaster Relief team is working to respond to the disaster, but the widespread flooding is unlike anything it has experienced across its service area.
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“We urgently need the support of our community to help ensure that families, children and seniors affected by these floods have access to food and other essential resources,” said Alma Boubel, CEO of the South Texas Food Bank.
The South Texas Food Bank is working closely with local and state emergency management officials, law enforcement agencies, Feeding America, Feeding Texas, partner food banks and community organizations to assess needs and coordinate response efforts.
Boubel said the safety of staff, volunteers, partner agencies and the neighbors the food bank serves remains its highest priority. She said the organization does not want anyone putting themselves at risk by traveling through flooded areas or attempting to navigate unsafe road conditions.
“We are relying on the guidance of emergency management and public safety officials to determine when, what and where it is safe to deploy resources,” Boubel said.
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Boubel described the flooding as a critical situation and said the food bank is taking a deliberate approach to its response.
“We want to ensure that we are providing the items our communities need most right now while supporting, rather than overwhelming, ongoing relief efforts,” she said.
As relief efforts continue, the South Texas Food Bank is asking the public to help in one of three ways:
Donate nonperishable food. Community members may donate nonperishable food items at the South Texas Food Bank during regular business hours.
Volunteer. Individuals and groups interested in supporting flood relief operations are encouraged to volunteer as response efforts expand.
Make a monetary donation. Financial contributions provide the greatest flexibility, allowing the South Texas Food Bank to quickly purchase and distribute needed resources.
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Monetary donations may be made:
Via Cash App (fastest method): $SouthTexasFoodBank (Memo: Flood Relief – Donor’s Cell #).
In person at the South Texas Food Bank during regular business hours.
By calling the Accounting Office at (956) 726-3120, Ext. 103.
Boubel said every donation, volunteer and act of support helps the South Texas Food Bank reach more families during this critical time.
“South Texans have always come together during times of need, and we are confident that our community will once again rise to the challenge,” she said.
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The South Texas Food Bank will continue to provide updates on flood relief efforts, food distributions and volunteer opportunities as conditions evolve.
For more information, visit southtexasfoodbank.org/disaster or follow the South Texas Food Bank on social media.