Saturday, December 14, 2024
On Monday, Nov. 18 People Helping People distributed Thanksgiving meals to members of the community. Yearly, Hood County residents are provided these free Thanksgiving meals, and typically the nonprofit serves between 400 and 500 people on this day alone.
Each visitor to the event was provided dry goods and canned food as side dishes for the meal and a grocery store gift card was provided to purchase the meat for the family meal.
People Helping People is the oldest food bank in Hood County. Established in 1983 by the Lake Granbury Ministerial Alliance, the group was created to meet the needs for residents who need food and clothing with a goal of “helping anyone who has fallen on hard times” according to its website. The nonprofit is led by a board of directors comprised of representatives from different area churches.
For over 40 years People Helping People has functioned with no paid employees. Every dollar made by the nonprofit is put back into the community. The group accepts monetary donations as well as used goods to sell in their resale shop.
The system works entirely on volunteer hours. Gently used items are sold in the People Helping People resale shop and that money is used to feed families in need.
“People donate their garage sale things, we take almost anything and then we sell them in the resale shop,” shared Nin Hulett, board member, People Helping People.
People Helping People purchases about 6,000 pounds of food a week from the Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) for distribution to feed approximately 150-200 families weekly.
No vetting system is used, and anyone in need can benefit from the food pantry; visits are allowed every 14 days. The resale shop is open to anyone and residents of any income are encouraged to both shop and donate as this benefits the food pantry.
The food pantry accepts food donations as well — any unexpired canned goods, dry goods like cereal, pasta, beans, crackers, peanut butter and the like are appreciated.
The resale shop is open each Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Food pantry hours for the group are Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Office hours and donation receiving hours are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
To make a donation by mail, send check or money order made out to People Helping People, PHP, 306 Kings Plaza, Granbury, TX 76049. For donations through wills or bequests, please contact People Helping People. All contributions are tax deductible.
