ANTON, Texas (KCBD) – A new food pantry has opened at Anton ISD to provide students and families with access to food, through a partnership with the South Plains Food Bank.
Joe Contreras, senior director of programs at the South Plains Food Bank, said the pantry is the second school pantry the food bank has helped open.
“For somebody that grew up in a rural community, I’m extremely excited. This is the second school that we’ve been able to partner with to open a school pantry,” Contreras said.
Contreras said 25.1% of students are food insecure in Hockley County.
“And just the need that, hearing from the school staff, it’s just exciting because kids shouldn’t be hungry. It’s hard for them to learn already for some of them, but no one should be hungry,” Contreras said.
Out of 19 counties the food bank serves, more than 32,000 students go hungry.
School counselor noticed the need
Alicia Ball, school counselor for Anton, noticed the issue among students and how teachers were buying food for students from their own pockets.
“Food insecurity doesn’t just affect academics at school. It affects the whole child…behaviors that we see…everything that a child does. It comes down to hunger,” Ball said.
Ball said the idea for a food pantry started with a little bit of hope and kept growing. She asked for a few items and was met with much more, thanks to the South Plains Food Bank. The pantry now has drinks, cereals and meals that parents can take home for the weekends.
“I expected some basic necessities, and they showed up with two pallets of food. It took me, some teachers, and some students to help get all of this into the school. And it was just absolutely overwhelming,” Ball said.
Anton is now the second school pantry to open with the food bank, after Seagraves opened one a few weeks earlier.
How to help
Those interested in helping the South Plains Food Bank fight food insecurity, especially for children, can join “U Can Share” in December. A link to donate is available at www.spfb.org.
Copyright 2026 KCBD. All rights reserved.